If you thought a GP had missed your cancer would you do anything about it?

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I've just been diagnosed with cancer and apparently have a 7cm tumour in my chest. My main symptom is chest pain, which I went to the GP about in 2016. She did a blood test, which found I was anaemic, and an ECG which wasn't normal but which she said was probably because my large chest was making it difficult for the sensors to get a reading. At the appointment to discuss the results, I distinctly remember her saying 'I don't know what's causing your chest pain'. I chalked it up to being fat/unhealthy/a stressed out mum and have lived with the pain ever since. It's got steadily worse to the point I couldn't stand it any more and went back to the GP a couple of weeks ago. He ordered blood tests, X-ray, then CT scan and overall it looks like I now have pretty advanced cancer. I honestly don't know if it's realistic that I've been living with this for 7 years but I understand that lymphoma can be very slow growing for a long time and then suddenly ramp up. It's a question I'll ask the consultant when I get an appointment (I'm only at early diagnostic stage so far).
I don't have access to my medical records from 2016 and need to figure out to get them, because I'd like to know if the blood tests at the time should have indicated anything more serious or if the GP should have followed up any further. But maybe I just need to let it go? What would you do? The GP in question has since retired and this is not necessarily about making a complaint - definitely not about compensation - more just about me wanting to know.

So sorry you've had that awful diagnosis and that you're having to have 'what if' thoughts. I can't give any proper helpful advice, it does sound like further investigation should have been made into the pain back then in my humble opinion. I hope you get speedy treatment

I had this happen with ovarian cancer. Was left untreated for 6 years, during that time they watched and waited the tumour got to 6.6lbs in the end and the size of a football. Lost my notes countless times. It wasn't until I couldn't use my bladder anymore and was going into kidney failure anything was finally done. I ended up having emergency surgery and it has effected my life till this day. It's worth calling some medical negligence solicitors to see what they say the worst they can say is no. I think you have 3 years to make a claim from diagnosis.

Get your medical records. Write to the doctors surgery and ask how to get a copy. Get your hospital records too. I’m sorry that this is happening to you. When you get the information you might not be able to face reading it. Keep the papers safely for when/if you’re ready. My own experience gives me the impression that medical diagnosis and treatment is quite random.

So sorry you are going through this. It’s horrible waiting to hear and thinking about treatments.
I think you need to get the diagnosis - what type and stage of cancer, and then ask your consultant if he can give you an idea of how long it would have been there, and would it have been likely to cause those symptoms.

I think I would want to know the prognosis before determining action.
That said , I know of 3 friends/ acquaintances whose cancers were missed recently, sadly one friend died , and it has left me , and her family, very angry at the GPS who dismissed her.

No, what would be the point? People are human, mistakes can be made and your energy would be better focused on the present rather than the past.

Yes, although I don't know if it will get you anywhere because the criteria for medical negligence is high.

My mum was fobbed off with indigestion and gaviscon for 6 months when she went to her GP for stomach cancer. She died just over a year later as it was stage 4 by the time they took it seriously. It still makes me angry ovewr 10 years later.

I am sorry for your experience and hope you make a full recovery very soon.

I'm overseas but my cancer was missed. I told my doctor I had a lump in my breast. Was sent for an ultrasound and was told everything was normal.

Fast forward a few months, and I told my gynaecologist that I found a lump that was growing. I complained, and the hospital did an investigation. It was discovered they were looking in the wrong area and totally ignored the area of concern. The hospital testing protocol was changed because of my complaint, and the head of radiology couldn't care less. We had to escalate my concerns to the top guy at the hospital. It was a hard lesson. I now question everything.

Good luck in your treatment. You were treated badly.

Stomach cancer symptoms that should say

Oh, and the reason I think you should complain is that nothing is ever going to change if the medical profession isn't held accountable for burhsing people off.

If you are thinking of doing something even if you haven't yet decided - get copies of medical records first.

It's disturbing within family and friends with complaints how many found their records lost as soon as they made a complaint.

Many years ago I paid more than one visit to my then GP with vaginal bleeding. Each time I was told it was my period. I knew it wasn’t.
Finally after symptoms progressed I was sent to A and E by a doctor that paid a home visit (remember those?). It was an ectopic pregnancy. When they opened me up the surgeon told me the next day he couldn’t believe how I’d survived.

All these media campaigns tell you to see your GP if you feel unwell or have symptoms. Yet when you go, as a woman you are routinely ignored and made to feel like a malingerer. You are made to feel mad when you keep telling them something feels wrong or they tell you not to Google.

I'm sure I read that almost all women with pernicious anaemia are given various types of antidepressants before they eventually get a diagnosis.

I've just came out of hospital after being repeatedly ignored by GPs for years. My hospital ward was full of women with advanced cancer through being ignored by their GPs. Many of them very angry after going to GP with bloating, weight loss and period symptoms, ignored and now on their final few months of life. It was tragic.

Perhaps if more people did sue or pursue an answer as to why they were not sent for diagnostic tests earlier, then it may make the GPs take women a little more seriously.

I’ve had a telephone appt today regarding my issues ‘ it’s just one of those things’ was the GPs expert opinion. Have another new tablet to take and will see how I am in 3 months….yea right!

And such mistakes cause life-altering injuries and death. The more people that speak up, the better.

The point is to drive up standards and sharpen and improve future practice to ensure others are not neglected similarly.

I am sorry you are going through this - ask your GP surgery for your notes - we lived in London and even when we moved to another part of the country our GP notes and Dr's letters followed us.
You have cancer - your peace of mind is important - you have every right to find out more information if you think this would help you process what has happened.

followed us from 10 years prior I mean

I’m sorry you have bad news, OP. IMO get the notes, write down your questions. Focus on treatment and recovery and once you’re well go back to see how things could/not have been different. Best wishes.

I would focus squarely on one thing and one thing only - the treatment ahead of me and recovery.

This is almost identical to my mum's story. She had difficulty swallowing and indigestion type pain for years which the GP told her was related to her diagnosed UC. She'd lived with UC for 35+ years and was very good at controlling it, she knew it wasn't but the GP wouldn't listen. Then back pain that she was told was osteoporosis (no tests carried out for this) - she was 57. It took a further 2 years of fighting the GP - she got a referral for an endoscopy to look at the gastric symptoms which were now severe and was told the waiting list was at least 9 months. At the 9 month stage she was told it could be a further 3 months and a complaint to her MP elicited a response that her GP could have put in for an emergency consult. Although this would only have reduced her wait by a few months. Finally she saved up money and requested a scan privately which she paid around £200 for. At the scan she was told that she would be referred urgently back to the NHS and got her appointment a week later to be told she had a 30cm tumour wrapped around her oesophagus which was unoperable. The pain in her back was bone mets in her sacral illiac crest which was now crumbling. At no time was her blood tested for any of the markers that would have been present and the oncologist commented (then quickly closed down) that this was strange with her symptoms not to have requested these.

She did go back to speak to her GP and he was "shocked" at her diagnosis and told her that if he had a room with 100 people in and told one had cancer, she would have been the last person he picked. She was a "farmers wife" type who got up and worked hard day til night without complaint and did so even with advanced cancer and a crumbling spine. Despite being her GP for 20 years he did not seem to take this into consideration and chose to believe she was just not coping with again pains (again she was 57 at the start of this).

She lived a further 2 years post diagnosis - against all predictions - she really was that stubborn. But her treatment took its toll and despite her MP offering her access to a good lawyer she was not in fit mind and body to pursue this and chose not to. She never did go back to the GP and he retired a couple of years later.

I am still angry 15 years later - and doubly so that nothing has changed in the intervening years.

OP - I wish you well and hope you find peace to live with the failings of those in which you entrusted your care - whatever you choose to do about it.

My friend went continually with back pain over many years .
She died in 2020 from cancer which was found when advance because she couldn't walk anymore ..

It does happen

I'm
Sorry it's happened to you

You didn’t go back to the GP about this once between 2016 and 2023.

What one earth would you “do”?

As I say, focus on you rather some kind of spurious claim against a GP you haven’t seen or indeed any since 2016

the op went ONCE in 7 years

@Poshjock it is far from identical to your story.

You fought for 2 years back and forth.

The OP last went to the GP about this 7 years ago

You went to the GP once for chest pain in 2016, were appropriately investigated (probably for mainly acute causes), never went back, got dx with cancer this year and you're blaming the 2016 for not having a crystal ball?