Help! Does an urgent referral mean suspected cancer?

[Naunet]

I had a GP appointment last week because I suspected I had cervical fibroids. The GP had a look and told me it looked like a polyp at the entrance to my womb, and that it looked fairly sore. She wanted to refer me for a colposcopy and today I got a letter through from the hospital.

The letter says that the clinic I've been referred to is for suspected gynae cancer and it’s a 2 week wait referral. I’ve already been given an appointment for next week.

My doctor had warned me the letter might mention a cancer referral but that it was just the category a colposcopy comes under. Fine. But the fact it’s an urgent 2 week wait referral is freaking me out. Everything I can find online suggests this is only used in cases where they suspect cancer.

Has anyone else had a 2 week wait referral when cancer hasn’t been suspected?

A 2ww appointment is because cancer is one of the possibilities.
They are used commonly.
Try not to worry.
For example, a 2ww appointment for a breast lump shows that around 9 out of 10 are non cancerous.
It means that the cancers that are picked up can be treated as early as possible.

If your GP was referring you because they wanted to rule out cancer they would have said so. I'm assuming that your GP thinks you will have the polyp removed at the appointment. They will probably send it to the lab to have it tested to put your mind at rest.

Try not to freak out, it's great that you have such a quick appointment.

I suspect I'm not alone in being referred on a two week pathway more than once, each time I've been fine and felt reassured that if I did have cancer I was being seen quickly.

Because a colposcopy is used to make further investigations it could well fall under a 2ww category.

I don’t know if she would have. I have PTSD from childhood sexual abuse, so it had already taken a year of therapy just to get me to the appointment! She might have been worried about upsetting me further.

Do you know if all polyps are treated as urgent/potential cancer? I remember she did seem a little concerned and mentioned how it looked sore, so I’m thinking she may have seen more than she let on.

Husband has recently gone through the same sort of thing - two week referral under a cancer reason was very scary especially as the GP did not warn us. Surgeon when op came was lovely and said majority of referrals are not cancer but when you have something that COULD be it they have to urgently refer you.
It's a good thing it's quick - either cancer will be ruled out very quickly or you will start treatment very quickly.
Eat well in the meantime and try (I know how hard this is) to keep calm and pamper yourself. Do you have support?

Thank you. Hopefully my GP was just being careful, but it’s bloody scary!! A friend had the same thing, a polyp on her cervix a couple of years ago, she didn’t get an urgent appointment, but then that was during COVID so maybe they were a bit more restrained then.

My partner will be home in a couple of hours and he’s a good support!

Thanks everyone!

I had this last month. I went for a smear test but they couldn't do it as a suspected polyp was in the way. The GP was pretty sure it was a polyp but the gynae referral was on the 2 week urgent pathway. Yes I was concerned but when I went for the colposcopy the staff said they are usually just polyps. The consultant removed it there and then and seemed very unconcerned. It was very quick and glad to get over. So please try not to worry, get it over and done with.

I just came on to post exactly the same thing, polyps are like cherries and the "stem" where they join is very thin, I didn't feel a thing as it was removed.

They want to investigate further at this stage and it is better to do it quickly and get the right diagnosis.

I was also put on the pathway for similar issues and investigations a few years ago after recurring unexplained bleeding.

The GP did warn me that it meant cancer could be one of the possible diagnosis.

In the end it wasn't, but it is better to get this done quickly so you can start treatment ASAP if needed or have your mind put at rest.

The only way to get a quick referral appointment is to tick the urgent/2 week wait box

GPs often tick this to hurry an appointment up.

The target for hospitals is much quicker for 2ww appointments than other appointments.

The GP has tried to hurry your appointment through.

They will normally take samples of fibroids etc during the colposcopy. These will be tested.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you

I was referred on a 2 week pathway for a cervical polyp picked up on a routine smear.

I was seen quickly, had it removed there and then and a biopsy and it was fine. I was terrified though

Take pain killers before you go. Mine was done without any pain relief from the hospital. (That may have been the sample from the womb lining though)

I have no advice, just a hug. I'm sorry you're going through this but in my experience, your GP would rather rush it through and be nothing serious.

Hugs {{{}}}

My mum is currently going through the same thing. Suspected fibroid but due to personal and family history they want to push her through the system quickly. Apparently general gyne wait times are really long so they're putting extra emphasis on the possibility of something more serious to get through the two week pathway. Likely to be nothing but good to be seen to quickly. :)