Long wait for surgery -private options in London

Going through breast cancer treatment Surgery
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Hi all, I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 19 December, after an urgent referral by my GP on 22 November.

I was initially told that the surgery would be 5 weeks from diagnosis but it has taken a long time to get the other tests done. They had to biopsy a second mass and they told me yesterday it’s a second tumour and I’ll need a mastectomy, but they’re only now putting me on the surgical waiting list which is another 4-5 weeks! I’m terrified that this long wait is going to affect my outcome. It has now been 62 days since the original referral which I thought was the maximum time to treatment.

My cancer is ER+ HER2- grade 2, the first tumour is 28mm and the second tumour is 14mm. The doctor has said that he’s not worried about the wait but I don’t know how he could be sure that it won’t make all the difference to my long term outcome? Especially now that we know this is a multi focal cancer it must be more aggressive?

I’m only 34 and I feel like my whole world has been turned upside down. I don’t have private insurance but I feel like I need to look into the options as the wait is so long and it could affect my survival. Does anyone have recommendations for private clinics in London and an estimate of the cost of a mastectomy with reconstruction?

Thank you

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Hi - I was diagnosed with IDC , ER+ HER2- at the end of November 2023. I then had lots of extra tests and another tumour found in the same breast. The tumours were small and close together so I was booked in for a lumpectomy . My surgery did not happen until 6th February 2024. It was hard waiting and I did struggle mentally but was told that a few weeks would not make any difference and that it was important that they did all the tests to ensure that they got everything . Its so hard waiting and I feel for you . Sending lots of good vibes x

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I was also grade 2

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Under the NHS you can select which hospital you are treated under. You could potentially ring up an alternative NHS Trust and ask what their waiting times are.

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Sorry that you’re going through this and I can very much relate to the anxiety of waiting.
I had health insurance so did end up having my treatment privately. I can PM you more details if you’d like? I had a single mastectomy but no reconstruction.

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That would be so helpful, thanks so much x