To assume this isn't as urgent?

[Wiseoldhoots]

Really need some help, my 10 year old brother is being seen by "Kelly Rapid Access" in 4 weeks.

His white blood count is low after a routine blood test and has 2 lumps in neck and armpit. He suffers with M.E so is tired a lot anyway.

DM is freaking out (understandable), she's trying to find anything that would even remotely tell her that maybe it's not as serious as she thinks.

If they thought it could be cancer, wouldn't they have got him in a lot sooner than 4 weeks??!

Or am I trying to calm myself too??

I know it's a case of wait and see but I guess I'm looking for any advise.....anyone who's been through the same.

Am an adult, but had exactly same symptoms a while back. Sent for CT scan which found nothing of concern and blood tests settled back down.

Low lying infections can often swell neck and armpit glands, more so with ME so his immune system already working overtime.

I went through exactly the same panic, but it doesn’t seem to be cancer. The blood test have settled down, still mild swelling in glands, but the doc has said this can often be the case and we may never get to the bottom of what causes is. Just going back for blood tests periodically to keep an eye on it.

The approach is often “look for the worst case scenario first then rule them out and work backwards).

Hope it all works out for you. Try not to panic until you get details, even under this kind of referral it’s very rare that it is cancer.

Needs checking out, but could get low white count and lymph nodes up after some viral illnesses. 2 weeks wait also implies the GP doesn't really think it is worrying...anywhere I've ever worked, if the GP really thought a child had cancer, paeds would see them within 24 hours, and usually paediatric oncologists within 24 hours after that if needed. 2 week wait is for adults.

That's hugely settling, thank you for your replies.

My mum is freaking out bless her. I've been trying to stay calm but as the days have gone by have thought oh crap maybe something is wrong.

She rang the clinic to ask why it wasn't sooner and they said that was the earliest clinic they had.