Lump in breast

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

Friend of a friend found a lump in her breast and was told by the doctor it was a cyst. It’s not, it’s cancer and now being treated.

Was the first doctor wrong in misdiagnosing her? She’s very upset naturally.

I don’t think a doctor can be certain until there’s been a scan/mammogram followed by a biopsy. They can have a an idea, but not be 100% certain.
Sending best wishes to your friend.

But wouldn’t you send for a scan mammogram first and not just dismiss as a cyst?

Usually you'd be put on a 2-week pathway for tests. Did her GP do that or did she have to get someone else to refer her? Did the first GP say "it's probably a cyst" but then refer her? Fingers crossed she has a good outcome 💐

She didn’t mention a 2 week pathway.

But did she refer your friend for tests or was it a second opinion GP? My GP said it could be a cyst before referring me (it wasn't but it did make the waiting time a bit more bearable), I thought it was better than saying it might be cancer.

Didn’t mention this. I may ask her again.

Bit unclear from your post how it has panned out - did the doctor refer your friend for tests in a short timeframe which have shown up the cancer?

Cancer is shite. Finding out you have cancer is shite. Finding out your loved one has cancer is shite.

Sometimes people and/or systems get it wrong, and that is another level of shit. Sometimes there isn't anyone to blame.

Agree with all of this. It sounds as if OP's friend has had her diagnosis and is now being treated? Perhaps there was a lengthy delay to being referred which is the point of the post. Anyway, yes, cancer is shit 😒

I had a lump and told them I wanted a referral to the breast clinic for screening. The GP acknowledged the lump, and referred me. I don't think they should be just saying it's a cyst without any imagining/mammogram etc. I'm glad she's now getting treatment.

As far as I recall from our conversation yesterday (met up after a long time not seeing each other), she was told it was a cyst first, then she got a second opinion and found it was cancer and now being treated. I’m just a bit flummoxed at someone not referring her to get lump seen to straight away rather than just leaving it.

Doesn’t help that another family friend was incorrectly diagnosed with ovarian cancer eg they missed it first time round then realised they’d made a mistake and it was cancer.

That’s how it should be. My friend is Italian so I’m unsure if she knew what she could ask for. She’s very capable otherwise though.

It does sound as though she was fobbed off if she got a second opinion - I didn't have to ask to be referred, it just happened. Hopefully her treatment is successful and the delay won't have made any difference.

It seems she was referred to breast screening though at some point as they did diagnose the cancer. So that's good. But maybe it took longer as she didn't specifically ask to be referred? Either way I hope she's better soon x