I’ve just read on here that treatment should begin by 62 days of Gp referral.
I was referred to the 2 week breast cancer clinic on the 15th of Aug and I am not getting my biopsy until 5th Nov. Which is almost 12 weeks.
Could you advise me if this is an acceptable wait time?
I did have my first appointment within the first two weeks on 28th August. Where I had several mammograms one with a paddle for a Magnified view. They said I had M3 fine linear clustered micro calcifications of 31mm which were new since my previous mammogram in 2023. I got an appointment through for a biopsy which will be done on the 5th of November.
Since It will be 12 weeks from referral to the biopsy I just wondered if I should have been pushing for an earlier appointment in view of the timeline of 28 day from Gp referral to diagnosis. Obviously it has gone way beyond that now. Sorry if this is a little garbled my head is not in a good place at the minute. I’d appreciate some advice on this please. Many thanks Overthinking
So sorry you haven’t had a reply yet. I would really recommend reaching out to our nurses to discuss this if you are feeling overwhelmed and confused about timelines. Sometimes it can just be helpful to talk things through and ease your mind. You can reach them on our free helpline 0808 800 6000, and you can call them as many times as you want or need.
Thinking of you,
Chloe
Hi overthinking
Thank you for posting.
Waiting for results can be stressful so its understandable that you are you are finding it difficult especially as your biopsy is not happening until next week.
The guidelines for cancer waiting times vary according to the different UK nations. In England the two-week pathway for urgent referrals was replaced by the Faster Diagnosis standard and it sounds like this is what you are referring to. The 28 day Faster Diagnosis Standard states that people should have cancer ruled out or receive a diagnosis within 28 days of an urgent cancer referral. It may help to know that most people who have an urgent suspected cancer referral will not be diagnosed with cancer.
We are unable to say why you have had to wait 12 weeks for a biopsy having been seen at the breast clinic within two weeks of your GP referral. It seems an unusually long wait for a biopsy and we would suggest that you contact the breast unit at the hospital to find out why this has happened. The hospital switchboard will be able to put you through to the breast unit secretary if you do not have their number.You may also want to check with your GP to find out if they have any information about your wait.
If you are not satisfied with the information you get from the breast team. here is information about how to raise care concerns in the relevant UK country England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
Breast calcifications are very common and, in most cases, will be due to benign (not cancer) changes in the breast. Calcifications can occur in one or both breast but this is not usually significant. Occasionally calcifications can be an early sign of breast cancer and it can be difficult to know this from the mammograms. Often, as in your case, a biopsy is necessary to be clear about the cause.
Waiting for investigations and results can cause a lot of anxiety and uncertainty so it’s natural to worry more if you have a long wait. It’s not clear what support you have at this difficult time of waiting for results but the NHS website, every mind matters has some useful tips on managing anxiety that you may find helpful.
You are also welcome to call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
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Best wishes
Eve
Breast Care Nurse
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