Terrified I have stomach cancer. What to do?

[Reallyworried69]

I have absolutely all classic symptoms and some of the risk factors. Been feeling bloated last 10 days or so, loss of appetite, lost weight, abdominal pain.

Clearly I'm terrified. Should I go in to A n E tomorrow presenting with abdominal pain or go via go route? I don't want to wait n don't know how things work with covid.

GP route, sorry

It's not a choice of how you 'go in'

If you need medical attention tonight you contact 111. If you do t then you call your GO in the morning. The fact that you are asking leads me to believe you can wait.

I wouldn't go into panic mode...there are many things those symptoms fit without jumping to cancer.

Unless you're in extreme pain that requires immediate medical attention then the GP would be the correct route.

This is neither an accident nor an emergency. Go see your GP. You will not get an OGD via A&E unless you are having a full blown GI bleed.

Thanks I'll ring go in the morning n try not to panic. Anyone any idea if the 2 week route is 2 weeks ATM?

Yes. 2ww is absolutely 2ww. It is maddening many HCPs how many patients are presenting to GPs, and ED, with symptoms they themselves think are cancer, but who are then not presenting for the diagnostic tests.

Coz of Covid.

Then the outrage (sorry, but true) when that patient makes their own, personal risk assessment about the safety of entering a (deserted, mask touting) hospital, to find that their non attendance at the appointment they agreed with Bookings is a clock-stopping DNA.

Your symptoms suggest a myriad of diagnoses that aren't gastric cancer. But you would be wise to make a GP appointment.

As an aside, personally, I hope a particular statistic is collected: patients referred for 'urgent' diagnostic tests, who fail to show- who are never heard of again, with that complaint. As it has gone away. I understand the official 'fear' of the apparently vast numbers not fronting GPs, and ED, with symptoms, who erstwhile would have; but I would really like to see the statistics of how many transpire to be actually ill with 2WW alertable diseases who didn't show.

As they woke up feeling fine the next day....

As PP has suggested GP who will trigger ‘2 week wait pathway’ if warranted. It is absolutely still 2ww but instead of straight to a hospital consultation/test it will likely be a telephone consultation first to gather some info and plan any required attendance at hospital.
Obviously I don’t know your full history but please be reassured that the symptoms you have can be caused by a range of gastrointestinal issues before getting to gastric cancer. For example only a very small percentage (Around 2% in my area) of 2ww referrals for a suspected upper gastrointestinal cancer will follow through to a diagnosis the vast majority will have a benign cause found.