Put on 2 week pathway for ruling out cancer - terrified

[Titsywoo]

So 12 years ago I suffered a pelvic inflammatory infection which was very painful and started on a Friday so by the time I got to the doctors on Monday was quite bad and I was put on antibiotics. The doctor said there was no way of knowing how bad the damage was (how far into the reproductive system it had travelled) without surgery and since my family was complete and the infection gone nothing more was done.

5 years later I had a few issues with weeing in small amounts so they did an ultrasound which found a large cyst. I was sent to a gynaecologist who did further tests and found a large cyst structure (about 11cm) behind the uterus and going into the pouch of douglas. There were also a lot of adhesions which covered this cyst so it was inaccessible by laparoscopy. One ovary was stuck to the pelvic wall and the other embedded in the adhesions and could not be seen. My appendix was also caught up in the adhesions and both fallopian tubes full of blood. The consultant thought I had endometriosis (never had any symptoms of that) and said it may be best to remove everything but cyst not suspicious in nature even though it was complex so I could leave it for now if preferred. I wish I had gone ahead but I had young kids, was scared of major surgery and also scared of ending up in chronic pain from more adhesions from surgery. Consultant also said if it was endo it may all grow back.

Fast forward 5 years to now and about a month ago I had an upset stomach and a few bladder issues. GP ran some blood tests and requested an ultrasound of pelvis which was done on Friday. Lady who did it was lovely but when asked said she couldn't say what it was as they would need to biopsy it to know for certain. Cyst appears to be same size as before. She said to see GP in next 2 weeks to get results.

Got a call from GP receptionist on Monday asking me to come in today to see GP (as he was off till now). Immediately panicked a bit. Saw him this morning and he was clearly a bit concerned and said I needed to be referred straight away and would be seen within 2 weeks. Then got a text saying I've been referred on 2 week pathway to rule out cancer. So I'm freaking out big time.

Hand hold would be appreciated

Sorry the reason I mentioned the infection 10 years ago was because I got a second opinion and he thought less likely endo and more likely damage from the pelvic inflammatory disease. It has never been ascertained where the cyst arises from (can't see if it is attached to ovary because of adhesions)

I cant say anything helpful, sorry @Titsywoo but offering hand hold. Thank goodness it is being taken seriously and fast tracked xx

Hand hold for you OP. Not sure from your post, but is the 2 week wait to be referred to have a biopsy?

Hi
I have also just been put on the 2 week pathway to rule out cancer based on sudden post menopausal bleeding. Please try not to worry as it's to rule out worst case scenario first - it's not a diagnosis.

My sister had a similar experience and had blood test results and scan which suggested cancer. Her GP freaked her out suggesting she had cancer. Thankfully it wasnt and she had a large cyst but needed a partial hysterectomy. I hope you get a similar outcome

The 2 week pathway sounds scary because it implies a sense of urgency. It's actually a common referral, usually done when something MIGHT point to something sinister. A lot of these referrals turn out to be nothing.

That's what I tried to focus on when I was waiting for my referral appointment recently. At least you get seen and get an answer pretty quickly this way. Mine turned out to be nothing bad.

I wish they re-named the referral to something a little less severe sounding though!

Thanks all. I think the doctors manner freaked me out the most. If he had said "It's probably nothing to worry about but we need to rule it out" I would have felt ok but his concern and overly kind manner saying "I know it's scary". I should be more grateful he was nice but it scared the crap out of me!

I think all GP’s are putting everything that needs investigation on 2 week pathway at the moment. DH went to GP about piles and was put on one to see specialist, they saw him 3 days later. It is worrying but you do really need to get some answers.

OP, this is a page from Cancer Research UK but don't be alarmed, I'm posting it only because it has the statistic on it that 90% of all cases referred on the two week wait do not get a diagnosis of cancer. The GP will know that your mind (like anyone else's) would instantly go to the worst case scenario and is trying to reassure you, but it sounds like he was too reassuring and has ended up just making you more anxious!

Hopefully you will get seen soon and have more information.

2 week wait pathways are very common. For reference, the “pick up” rate for cancer in all these referrals is around 3%. The referral criteria are deliberately quite wide to try and help ensure no one gets missed, but statistically 97% of people referred on 2 week wait don’t have cancer. Hope everything is ok. I do understand the worry, having had a 2 week wait myself last year.

I was also put on the gynae two week pathway by my GP, because two of my symptoms ticked the boxes. I got a call a couple of days later from the consultants office to say the consultant had reviewed my notes and was happy to take me off the two weeks but would still see me as an ‘urgent’ within six weeks. When I saw her, she explained that the GP had pushed the button because two of my symptoms were on the ovarian cancer checklist, however, she could see from a third symptom that it was almost certainly something else and it turned out to be exactly what she said - and NOT cancer.

My long-winded point is - your GP is just following guidelines to get a specialist to look at you quickly. It’s terrifying, but it’s ultimately a good thing. I have everything crossed for you.

Thanks everyone it helps a lot to read your replies. I'm quite an anxious person anyway so tend to overthink things and over kindness and concern of the sonographer and doctor just scared me so much and now I am fighting myself to not freak out too badly. I just feel so low today.