Suspected ovarian cancer

[Whattodo4best]

Just wanting some advice really.

I had some spotting and requested an increase in HRT. Dr sent me for pelvic scan just to check nothing untoward. Had that on Thursday and on Friday GP called to say there is a solid cyst on one of my ovaries and is referring me on the 2 week pathway for suspected ovarian cancer.

Now the line was really bad and she called at 6pm on Friday so I’ve had all weekend thinking about questions I should have asked but didn’t.

But one thing I’m wondering about is whether or not to just see someone privately whilst waiting for this 2 week pathway appointment to come through.

I have top notch Bupa cover via my DH’s job where absolutely everything is covered but I seem to have this vague memory from somewhere about the NHS being the best place for cancer care.

What would you do? Just sit and hold tight for the NHS appointment or get cracking with private investigations asap?

If you have private health care I would honestly go down that route. My mum was diagnosed with stage 4 incurable ovarian cancer in May this year after having 9 months of obvious symptoms. She was consistently fobbed off by her GP for months by which time she was very ill. She had some scans and a follow up appointment with gynae who told her it was cancer. They also told her that other than surgery (which she had) there was no other treatment and to contact them when the pain gets too severe to manage at home. Please go and get checked x

Why wouldn’t you use the private healthcare? If you have access to it, surely that is what it is for.

I just have this memory of reading somewhere that private healthcare is great for minor things but when it comes to cancer, you can’t beat the NHS.

I’m also concerned about messing up the 2 week pathway referral if I start having private investigations.

Listen I was released from hospital (twisted ovarian cyst) on a two week referral and they gave me an appointment 10 weeks away! I had emailed, phoned, went in person to PALS to get it moved up to five weeks. So go private. Get the follow up done. Less waiting is a very good reason to go private and with possible cancer you don’t want to wait. It duesnt exclude you from using the NHS - in fact can be sensible to fast track a diagnosis privately then go NHS for the more comprehensive treatment.

If it isn’t cancer then private health care is likely to be your best option for getting it sorted out quickly. I would imagine the next step is blood tests (CA125) and an MRI scan so if your private insurance can get this done quicker then I’d go for it.

OP, this is the only reason I pay for BUPA - use it!

My father has had all of his cancer treatment privately and you absolutely cannot fault it. He’s had treatments that aren’t available on the NHS and the turn around is incredible (as in, a scan on one day, radiotherapy booked the next with a car sent).

Thanks all. I’ve booked an appointment for tomorrow morning.

I hope it goes well for you ❤️

Just to make you aware, if you're in England you have the legal right to choose any hospital in England for your initial referral - so you can pick the best cancer hospital in travelling distance (e.g. Royal Marsden) rather than whichever shit local hospital is closest. Hopefully your GP gave you that choice, but if not it can be rectified.

Most people on suspected cancer pathways don't have cancer and I hope that is the outcome for you.

This is interesting and no my doctor didn’t tell me this. She didn’t tell me much actually and the phone line was really bad.

But I can see from my NHS app that she put my referral through to my local shitty hospital as opposed to the Royal Marsden which is up the road.

Should I contact my surgery tomorrow to request that the NHS referral is amended?

Yes. All us mumsnetters wish you the very best
X

Doesn't have to be all or nothing I had uterine masses picked up on a scan that they weren't sure of were fibroids or polyps so not cancer and not serious but had loads of symptoms that were massively impacting my daily life and th wait was huge. Have private insurance through OH work, took scan report had them removed there within a few weeks and then went back to NHS for some other gynae issues but stayed on the waiting list . At the time they did say there were certain things they couldn't do but. Sure they could get the next steps done quickly for you

If you have private health insurance call first thing tomorrow and get an appointment as soon as possible with a consultant gynaecologist.

Private health care saved my life when I had a brain tumour that my GP refused to take seriously for six months. I finally saw a locum who referred me urgently to neurology and strongly recommended I go private as there was a long wait for even emergency neurology appointments. I took her advice and had an appointment within a week. They gave me an MRI on the spot at the appointment and diagnosed a fast growing tumour right next to my brain stem. Three days later I had an operation to have it removed. The surgeon said I would have been dead within another three weeks. So I wouldn’t have lived long enough to get the NHS appointment.