All week i have been furious about our so called rapid assessment clinic not being quite so rapid. My understanding of such a clinic is they do everything ie mammogram, ultra sound, needle biopsy and results all within a few hours.
Went with a friend last week and she has to wait til tomorrow for results, the reason being no cytologist on site to test the sample taken.
I want to write and complain to my Bc unit as the same thing happend to me almost 3yrs ago but i need to know how have others been treated and would appreciate it if you could post here.
I could be wrong but I thought one stop clinics, did the all the tests but you have to wait for the results. At the Princess Royal University Hospital, they do all the tests on a Thursday and you come back the following Wednesday to get them as they take time to get the results. Maybe other hospitals are different but thats what they do there. It was one of the longest six days of my life!!!
Your right though if there say its going to be a few hours, it bloody should be, and totally unfair to put someone through the agony of waiting when its not necessary.
I had to go through several rounds of tests before diagnosis at the Eden 1 stop clinic. The fine needle test results were available later same day, so was the results of the unltrasound and mammo and the doctors there to discuss them.
The core biopsy results took longer, about a week. My understanding is that in the majoirty of cases where women are given the great news that it’s not cancer it is done in a day, hence 1 stop. But if there’s any doubt they’re thorough and it rightfully takes longer. So I did find myself waiting for the core results but for the right reasons.
I’m based in the Dumfries & Galloway area of Scotland. At my one stop clinic they did all three tests - mammo, ultrasound and FNA within an hour, as well as physical examination by surgeon, and I had the results of all three tests within 30 mins from the last one (FNA). I don’t think my case was unusual, it is my understanding that this is what always happens here, but I may be wrong?
Hi Liverbird,
I live in Cornwall, my clinic is also a one stop clinic, i had a mammo, ultrasound, FNA and core biopsys done also within an hour same as Margaret,I was told results would be back within 45 mins, I was called in to see the surgeon after about 30 mins who confirmed i had BC. As far as i know this is the norm at one stop clinics . I was told before i went that i would get my results the same day.
All the best
Lindiloo x
I went to a “one stop clinic” but ended up with a core biopsy so had to wait 5 days for the results of that.I actually believe that at my clinic not all patients even get the core biopsy done the same day!
Following a MRI scan I later had a FNA and got the results of that the same day.It seems the core biopsy takes longer.
It is a bit misleading to call them one stop clinics,its ok for those who have nothing show up but for us, its not “one stop”
My clinic also recently boasted of meeting its 2 week waiting target,why then did I have to wait 3 weeks to be seen!
At my one stop clinic in a Lancashire hospital, all the new people were asked to arrive at the clinic at 9.30, then given mammograms, consultations with the consultant and FNAs. We were then told to go away and amuse ourselves until 11.30 whilst the breast surgeon, pathologist and radiologist discussed the results at a special meeting. We were then called in one by one to get the results. It was obvious from people’s faces when they came out of the consulting room whether they had been given good or bad news.
My husband and I were seen last at 1pm, with the consultant starting the consultation by telling us that he was sorry we’d had to wait but he had left us until last as he wanted to spend some time talking to us. That was the moment that I knew my cancer had returned and I had secondaries.
it is very much dependent on where you live, my local NHS hospital do all the tests on the day and you get the results a week later. I had my tests at a private hospital, it was a tuesday evening appointment (7pm) and was given my results 2 days later,
Not sure if I’m reading this wrong but I have to take exception with Dotchas’ remark:
"It is a bit misleading to call them one stop clinics,its ok for those who have nothing show up but for us, its not “one stop”
Mine was a one stop clinic as I have said above - and it showed up that I had breast cancer (subsequently confirmed by path reports after mastectomy & node clearance as Grade 3, her2+++). So they aren’t just ok for those who have nothing show up.
Hi Magz
I have been reading this thread and thanks to those who have answered i hope more folk will.
I think the ‘one stop clinic’ i am assuming is another name for ‘rapid assessment clinics’
Friend was unfortunately told today its BC.I am backing off as she needs time with family to come to terms with it. Have already had her daughter in law asking me why i didnt tell her sooner but i am all for confidentiality. but have told friend I am here for her. Rather concerned that surgery isnt until the 25th. Isnt there a 3 week ruling that surgery is done within that time?
Liverbird, so sorry to hear about your friend. When I had my surgery done, I was told that all operations for cancer or finding out if someone has cancer was 28 days. I am not sure if that is just my hospital or a general rule.
Your friend is very lucky to have such a lovely kind caring friend like you to support her. I wish you both lots of love.
My clinic does the triple assessment and examination with breast surgeon, but I believe they only give the results the same day if the surgeons are certain it’s going to be BC. One lady I know had her appointment at 4pm and it was confirmed at 7pm, she was the only patient left there.
In my own case the surgeon wanted the path lab to take 7 days, given the number of samples he had taken for the core biopsy as he admitted he was not entirely sure what he was dealing with. Tests came back the following week all clear, it was a fibroid which I elected to have removed on account of it being 46mm.
Unfortunately, the fibroid was hiding a 33mm tumour which was found when I went in as a day patient, so it all turned very sinister.
Magz175
Sorry if my remark upset you.Many clinics do get all results in the one day but I had to wait 5 days for my core biopsy results after consultant said the area was “suspicious” For me it was not (or at least didn’t feel like) a one-stop clinic.
Sorry
xxx
Hmm, have mixed feelings about the Pathology element of the rapid or one-step clinics. Told by the Reg (can’t stand the man) on the night that the Path sample was fine and that the proper, longer result in 2 weeks time would be a “formality”.
Yup, that’s when they told me I had cancer. I think the immediate path result is a bit like a home pregnancy test. You don’t get a false positive, but you can very often get a false negative.
I saw the Registrar first to have the lump looked at, but all new patients see one of the two Consultants. Reg said it was a cyst and would be aspirated, which I knew it wasn’t as it was solid and this was confirmed by the ultrasound. When I asked the breast nurses about this earlier in the year I was told they generally tell all women that so you don’t feel so nervous, not sure I agree with this TBH.
After I had my first mammogram post BC, I saw the Reg again. I was a bit annoyed as I thought it would be the Consultant who did the surgery, so I was a bit unnerved when someone else came into the room. I understand the Consultants have to see the new patients (saw another onc last week as mines had 3 new patients to see taking up 2 hours of her time), but I do think you should see your surgeon for the first post BC mammo check. I’ve met other ladies who felt like that too and told my nurse, so she said she would bring it up in the meetings they have prior to the clinics starting.
I’m now convinced if I go back next January and get my surgeon it will be bad news.
Thanks for that - you didn’t upset me - I was just reading it that the one stop clinics were for if there was nothing wrong! And obviously that was not my experience!.
I would have to add that I couldn’t fault the speed with which everything was dealt with by my health board. Following the one stop clinic, at which I was told it was definitely cancer (this was on 1st Nov), and I was informed that surgeon felt it had spread to nodes, I had a lung xray and liver ultrasound on 7th Nov, bone scan on 8th Nov, mastectomy and node clearance on 13th Nov, full path report including her2 status on 21st Nov and commenced chemo on 29th Nov - exactly 28 days after diagnosis!
In some ways it was nice that it all just flowed so quickly - I really didn’t have time to think about it until after the first chemo - when things calmed down a bit - I think that’s when I sat down and went 'Wow, how the hell did I get here!"
Am off for another bone scan on Friday this week, after 7/8 weeks of constant niggling back pain - currently have horrible alternating runny/crusty nose from the herceptin - but all in all I’m doing well now (ish lol).
It annoys me that here in Liverpool the Linda McCartney Centre prides itself on being a centre of excellence for Bc yet i think it falls short at initial Dx and in the speed the surgery is done. ££££££££££££££££ IS OBVIOUSLY THE ISSUE FOR THE POOR SERVICE.
Plus the follow up for anyone with cancer and concerns they may have is not there.
I live in Dumfries & Galloway, and I was treated at Dumfries hospital. The staff have been absolutely wonderful (I do know other people though who wouldn’t say the same - perhaps I’ve been lucky?!?!).
But every problem I have had has been dealt with quickly and efficiently, and whenever I have mentioned any worries to BCN (such as recent back pain) - I have been given an appt with onc within a week. In most cases she (the onc) has either been able to reassure me, or has arranged for further tests etc.
My sister, who stays down south, has had numerous problems with benign lumps over the past few years, and now given my dx gets quite frantic over the whole issue of BC, unfortunately her medical staff down there don’t take her too seriously - to the point that she is thinking of registering with my GP up here in Scotland (she still owns a house up here so technically would be able to lol).
I must admit, listening to other stories I am glad I’m where I am !
I lived on the outskirts of London for 20 years and I am glad I had moved back to Scotland 2 years before my diagnosis. I keep in contact with my old neighbour, her friend was diagnosed 2 weeks before me and she has told me her friend has had a terrible wait for everything which added to the stress of the BC. Pressure on the services I expect.