MDT today- would they tell me over the phone?

[biops]

I had a biopsy done on 8/9/26, they booked in a follow up appointment for 6/10/26 but said it would likely be brought forward. That’s 4 weeks post biopsy, after being told it looked concerning and could be cancer.

I know my biopsy was being reviewed today at MDT, I was told I could chase tomorrow. Do you know if they would tell me benign over the phone? Do I have a right to know?

I just don’t want to be left hanging until 6/10, I’m going crazy, unless there is a good indication them not bringing it forward means mostly benign, I can’t do this for 2 more weeks.

Do you use any of the apps, either for your hospital or the general NHS one?

Results that are positive tend to show there for me.

My GP seems to be able to see my "bad news" results before I can. She then phones me.

Do you have a nurse who is a point of contact?

I think, if there's nothing on the apps, you'd be totally reasonable to phone your GP practice and also your nurse if you've been assigned to one.

I hope you get good news.

Thank you. I have the app but there’s nothing on there (to be fair today is probably too soon?) I wasn’t given a nurse to contact.

Definitely hassle your GP. Tell the receptionist when you phone that you're scared.

Hi Op, sorry you are going through this wait. It’s sheer hell in my experience.

In my case, the referring physician did call me after the MDT and told me which team had picked up my case. They called within 24 hours to schedule my first appointment with my haematologist. That was 2018.

So, if you have not heard, by all means chase up. You absolutely do have a right to know.

It may be in the app be tomorrow, but I am in Scotland and the app is a crap for us.

They can tell you over the phone, yes. Have you been given the specialist nurses contact number? If so give them a call and explain you would like the results over the phone instead of waiting for the face to face appt.

Thanks all, no nurse number but I have the number to what I assume are the clinic’s secretaries, she was able to tell me my biopsy would be read today and to expect a call Thursday, but that I could chase (not sure if Chase would mean results or just a change in apt). I’ve been pretty patient but I guess tomorrow is the first day I might have some movement, it’s killing me know it is written somewhere!

I completely get you want to know but will you feel worse if its bad news and you dont know the plan of action? I hope you get positive news. They can tell you over the phone

Yeah I don’t know I guess, it sounds like you don’t necessarily get all the answers from biopsy anyway?? I just can’t bear the thought of a 4th weekend not knowing. Just never occurred to me it takes this long, sounds daft, I know it’s not like a pregnancy test!

I think if it’s gone to MDT, it’s likely to be cancer, I’m afraid, or it wouldn’t go to MDT, where they decide on a plan.

@Thinkofnewthingsthat’s not true I don’t think? I read that the purpose of the MDT is to have the opinion of the different specialisms to confidently say it’s benign (as well as determining plans for the positive cases).

That’s quite an unhelpful and risky thing to say if you don’t know for certain.

I would say generally the pathologist makes the call if it’s cancer or not, not the MDT. Oncologists aren’t pathologists. I agree that if it’s gone to the MDT it’s either cancer or they aren’t sure what’s going on because something has come back weird and inconclusive.

They will use the MDT to plan the next steps though, as in who will lead on this next phase, if treatment or surgery first, what scans you need and what blood tests. When I was told, I was immediately booked in for scans and I was sent immediately for bloods and assigned a surgeon and given my first appointment with him.

But I think secretaries honestly don’t know a lot about the clinical side and may simply assume you already have a diagnosis so just parrot out, wait for the MDT! It may not mean your case is actually going before the MDT, but just means no one has read it yet.

I do know. I’ve had cancer three times and other biopsies. My DH has also had cancer twice. He’s had loads of biopsies, some cancerous, some not. For benign things, they might phone you, send a MyChart message or, more unlikely these days, a meeting at the hospital with the consultant or fellow. If your case is particularly rare- one of my cancerous ones was - mdt can take longer, because they weren’t too sure what to do.

Everything I’ve read online says that MDT does not mean cancer and I’m a bit upset people are saying that, that’s not what I’ve asked, is only adding to my confusion and distress, please consider how that sounds to the person reading it.

So you’d think you have an ounce of tact, Jesus Christ.

@Thinkofnewthings thats not true at all. Lots of things go to MDT. Cardiac, vascular, all depts I’ve worked in have an MDT meeting, all discussing cancer and other conditions.
@biops the secretary won’t be able to tell you but I’d expect a sooner appointment or phone call if it does show anything as there’s the 31/62 NHS target - diagnosis within 31 days and treatment started (if indicated) with if 62 days.

The 31 day target also is for patient being informed of cancer too - not them making decision in a meeting without telling you.

Well, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was trying to be helpful.

From what I’ve read online benign cases can go because they can still require multi disciplinary treatment plans. I’ve also read some trusts require every urgent pathway biopsy case (which mine was) goes to MDT.

It’s not correct, and in what world is being told by someone on MN you have cancer helpful? Come on now.

@Reebs3234 i am expecting to panic a bit if they bring my apt forward.

Yes this is true - all suspected and urgent cancer pathways at my old trust went to MDT, just for all in attendance to check and make sure it was a yes or no. If yes make a plan if no just to confirm.

Yes - I’ve made the phone calls to patients to bring the appointment forward, and it’s very difficult as as admin we can’t go into any detail. I have asked nurses to ring particularly upset patients to give comfort, but it’s a horrible waiting game for that appointment.

This is incorrect and incredibly unhelpful. Scans/biopsies/blood tests are reviewed and a consensus is reached about what the issue may be in an MDT. This could be cancer, but equally it could be something else.

@Reebs3234do you ever bring apts forward for benign do you know? It’s just the receptionist did make it sound like it would likely be brought forward so I wasn’t sure if they were just often shuffling people forward, 4 weeks just seems quite a long wait.

Thank you, my husband is instructed to not let us just leave the room if it’s all clear as I do have sizeable lump and pain so if benign I still feel like something needs sorting! (I’m expecting to be as useless as I was in the clinic apt!)