How can I find out about biopsy results?

[Minime85]

Hi, had two biopsies one on cervix and one on womb. Also a smear too. Haven’t had results back from any of them despite being on the cancer referral route and one set of tests happened three weeks ago.

Rang my Gp they have told me I have to contact hospital secretary but there is no reply on that number. Just rings. Then there is an alternative which again just rings and then says sorry no one is here and you can’t leave a message.

Just want to be hearing some results now as initaly referral started back at beginning of March. Has been anxiety filled.

Any advice on what to do next?

I’ve always phoned the medical secretary of the hospital consultant. Do you have any hospital letters with different phone numbers on it? Or gomvia the hospital switchboard and ask them to put you through.

You should get a letter, and these are usually sent to your gp as well, so,it may be worth asking your surgery again.

If you phone the hospital and ask to go through too the secretary it may be a different number. If not, try asking for the cancer services team. They are responsible for ensuring patients on a two week wait pathway are moving along their pathway as they should, results are reported, appointments made etc. I suspect if you've heard nothing then it's all ok, or you should have had an appointment by now.

Are you due to see a consultant again? It is uncommon for biopsy results to be given out over the phone.
Biopsy results do take a while. They may need to review it in a specialist meeting too so 2-3 weeks wouldn’t be an unusual timescale.
I would keep trying the secretary. Alternatively were you given the number of a specialist nurse?

Indeed, most results need to go through a multi-disciplinary meeting. That would include the consultant, a cancer specialist and the radiographer. That's whether the results appear fine or not as it's there that next action or no action is decided.

Sometimes the meetings are cancel or there were other more important cases to discuss and they ran out of time. Do keep trying to call and hopefully the wait will be over soon.

My mum's been through this recently, was supposed to have results within 1 week, in the end it took 3, but all was ok.

I’ve called the medical secretary too, or the ward where I had the tests done. Sometimes I’ve been called if they needed me to go in, other times I’ve called and they’ve said it’s all fine, you’ll get a letter soon

Thanks everyone. Repeatedly just rings out when ring secretary. I’m going in on Saturday for removal of a polyp so hoping I can ask whilst I’m there as is same consultant I initially saw.