Two week Pathway

[CrumpledBankNote]

Posting on AIBU for traffic but I guess there is one in it.

I'm on the two week pathway for investigations for bowel cancer.

I'm not even 40 yet, young kids. I'm surrounded by cancer at the moment. Two bereavements this year, one imminent. It doesn't seem all that unlikely for me - I guess I'll know next week.

One thing I thought of immediately - what happens to my August holiday if I get diagnosed with cancer? Do I ring the insurers? Can I still go? It's abroad for two weeks. Do I need to cancel? The kids will be gutted. We don't get away much and we've been looking forward to this for 18 months.

Half of me thinking, if I questioned these symptoms a couple of weeks later I would be in blissful ignorance.

Of course - I naturally had the initial panic attack of oh my god I might actually die and leave my children motherless. But it's so final I can't actually fathom/wrap my head around it. Yet.

AIBU in worrying about the holiday I guess. Knee jerk reaction but I'm spiralling a little bit.

If the worst happens and they diagnose cancer then discuss travel plans with doctors. It’s likely you’ll still be able to go xx

Woah woah woah, slow down! Take a breath...you are only on the pathway. Lots and lots, the majority, do not get diagnosed with cancer. I don't know your symptoms- blood in poo?- more likely to be haemorrhoids, weight loss?- probably stress, abdominal pain?- lots and lots of less serious causes. Try not to worry, I know it must be hard. Hugs xx

If you have certain symptoms, it’s an automatic referral to the pathway. Dh’s GP actually told him she didn’t think his symptoms were anything sinister, but he duly got the referral letter with ‘suspected bowel cancer’. I think it’s an automatic procedure which is to rule it out, rather than them thinking it’s what you’ve got. Dh was fine and hope you will be, too.

Slow down. The chances of you having bowel cancer are very slim. You’ve been referred on the two-week pathway to rule it out, not because they think you’ve got it. Most people who get referred on the two-week pathway don’t have cancer (I’ve been referred like that twice, to rule out two different cancers, neither of which I’ve got).

In the unlikely event that you do have cancer, you would have a conversation with your doctor about your treatment schedule and whether you would be OK to travel. If you couldn’t travel, that’s when you’d look at cancelling through your insurance.

Please take some deep breaths and try not to work yourself up about a problem that currently doesn’t exist (and probably never will). I know how scary this is (having been there twice!) but giving yourself additional worries definitely doesn’t help - try to rationalise this and don’t hypothesise about imaginary scenarios.

Take care and all the best x

The target is that 3% of 2 week wait referrals are cancer.
Currently it’s more like 2%.
If statistics help then focus on that.

There are lots of symptoms I refer on 2ww where another diagnosis is more likely but rule out the cancer first.

Hand holds whenever needed.

I was on 2 week pathway for breast cancer 2 years ago. 3 weeks it was confirmed and surgery planned but no date given. Rang insurance company re 2 week family holiday in August to Menorca (annual travel policy) and they cancelled policy on the spot and refunded proportion of premium! Quoted me £900 for the trip as a one off on the understanding I'd had no treatment in the intervening 2 months! Bastards. Don't use Saga!! Anyway, went without any cover and had all my treatments as soon as I returned. As the others have said, try not to presume the worst and take it a day at a time, you do need to let insurance know as soon as diagnosed but don't cross that bridge yet! Oh and take the medical team's advice re holiday! Good luck! Xxx

Bless you- I think in these scenarios its natural to fixate on worrying about something specific that isn't the actual illness to give your brain something else to do.

However as others have said- you are only on the pathway. GPs have to put people on the two week pathway if you have certain symptoms- I've been put on it three times, twice for breast cancer and once for bowel cancer. It wasn't cancer any of them!

Being on the pathway doesn't inherently mean you're any more likely to have cancer than anyone else. Try and take it one day at a time, I am sure you will be okay.

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The oncologist wanted to do a radical hysterectomy on me a month later. Had it 6 weeks later as I wasn't cancelling my trip to South Africa which had previously been cancelled twice due to covid .I had travel insurance that wouldn't cover any existing conditions but that didn't bother me as had absolutely no symptoms or problems due to the cancer

My husband (34) tested positive in bowel cancer screening a couple of years ago. We spoke to a private consultant who explained what the statistics were, which helped. In his case, the gp did not give any explanation for what the test was or meant!

It was something like a scale of 7-300 or 7-400 and the chance of cancer increases the higher up the scale you are but even then he said only 5-10% of people at the very top of the scale actually have bowel cancer. So whilst not impossible, it is a lot more likely you’ll be fine than not. He had one polyp removed, so actually probably saved his life, as could have prevented bowel cancer in the future.

I REALLY do appreciate everyone's feedback into this.

I did some googling and the numbers are very reassuring. And what you're saying is calming.

I have had some pretty long nights fretting about what could happen.

Whatever is happening in there isn't great - I'm not well. But I'm hopeful it's not worst case scenario. If anything, the leaflet on how to shit in the world's smallest tube was amusing.

One thing - if you have a colonoscopy insist on having sedation, they might try to go ahead without it and you might have to stand your ground.

This, but make sure it is done in a proper NHS hospital, not an NHS referral to a private clinic. I was in agony and it turned out that private units cannot give the same level of sedation as NHS.

I've got Crohn's so regularly have to send off samples. Get an old take away container and a wooden/plastic spoon. Scoop and bin everything else!

I hadn't even considered a colonoscopy! Oh Jesus.

As sick as I feel I hope we can avoid my bumhole as much as possible.

This is helpful OP because I’m on a 2 week referral for breast cancer and am fixating on how I tell my kids we might not be able to go on the trip they’ve been excited about for nearly a year!

How soon did you hear about your appointment? Been nearly a week for me and heard nothing.

Really hope everything goes well for you at the appointment and you have a lovely holiday 💐

@CrumpledBankNote I am also on that pathway. To be honest I was surprised as I didn't think my symptoms were too alarming but the GP referred me anyway.
I have had this happen for different things three times now.
I was referred last Thursday and got a text with a telephone triage appointment today. This was with a specialist nurse who went through my medical history and symptoms. She then said she wanted me to have a CT scan and colonoscopy. I'm waiting for a call about the scan but the colonoscopy is booked for next week. (I started a thread on General health about it).
At the end of the initial two weeks or so you will know if it's cancer or not. If it's not - which is most likely- you might be referred for more investigations but not on the fasttrack pathway.
I had a holiday booked for September but as it wasn't fully paid for I've moved it.
In my experience travel insurers won't cover you if you are awaiting tests but will if you have a diagnosis. This happened to me last year with a different issue and the insurer agreed to cover me for all my (many) other conditions, just not the one in question. This wasn't a problem as I was not unwell.

@SpikeyDee I had breast cancer 5 years ago.
You should hear very soon and you will know very quickly whether it's BC or not.
The breast clinic is a one stop shop. They have doctors, radiologists and specialist breast care nurses. You will probably have a mammogram first and then see the doctor who will have the results in front of her. The doctor will examine you and then arrange an ultrasound. They may do a biopsy at that point as well.
Then you go back in to see the doctor.
Their expertise is such that they often know at this point whether it’s cancer and they will tell you if they think it’s likely, they won’t send you home without a clue.
This can easily take 3 or 4 hours but at the end you have a good idea what’s wrong.

Just to add OP, don't ring your insurers yet. You should know well before the holiday whether it's cancer or not and can decide from there. It almost certainly isn't. This is something the NHS can be very good at, not all areas are equal but the 2ww or rapid diagnosis pathway is pretty good IME.

@SpikeyDee Madness isn't it - my initial thought process was - I wonder what my sick leave policy is and oh shit the holiday.

Over the last week I have stewed over every outcome just purely because I've never had to consider my own mortality before. Even though I know/hope the chances of me being diagnosed with cancer are small.

I had bloods and other tests the next day and my scan date arrived within four days, for next week.

I hope you also get answers soon and it's good news 🫶🏻

Fingers crossed it isn't cancer OP, but if it was - they would like you to go on holiday still if able (this happened when my dad was diagnosed they rejigged a few bits round and said of course you should have your holiday, he was then successfully treated).

@Perr I really do appreciate your insight. Thank you, and I'm sorry that you've had to go through this and treatment too.

If the scan is booked this quickly do you get preliminary results the same day? Or will it be another agonising wait?

Can I also ask what symptoms you have (you don't have to answer).

Good luck for your colonoscopy next week.

They don't give you answers after a scan but they do after any kind of endoscopy in that they will tell you roughly what they have seen and whether they took biopsies.
I asked the nurse today when I would hear and she said quite quickly.
The thing is if they don't find cancer they will tell you but they won't necessarily give you a diagnosis of what it is.
My experience with breast cancer was that the first few weeks were a whirlwind of tests and scans and then you get a plan of treatment.

@StampOnTheGround That's great to know thank you.
Just worried with bleeding etc that I've had it won't be possible.
I hope your dad is ok.

Just returning to the thread as a way of venting really.

FIT test and bloods done. Scan is booked for next week.

Obsessively trying to log into my NHS app and nothing is working.

My symptoms are shit today and I just feel like time is standing still. Loads of work to do but can't seem to do it.

Just wish I had the results.

I’m on the pathway .. had my Endometrial Biopsy the other day, waiting on results. Supposed to be on holiday in August, so it’s all a bit on hold.

Had a Hysteoscopy (sp) at the same time, had an anaesthetic, as I wasn’t doing it without one (although it was offered)

Its horrible waiting, but aren’t we lucky to have an NHS that can do things so quickly

@ExtraOnions Thanks for sharing your experience.
I do feel insanely grateful for the NHS right now. I did just email the practise manager to reset my NHS app as it's not linking to the GP despite doing so previously.

I just hoped my bloods were at least back by now.

How were your biopsies?? Have they given you any inclination on how long it'll take for the results? I hope it's good news for you.