thanks i have spoken to the macmillan nurse today and she said she expects me to hear regarding first appointment by the end of the week xx

Hi, Debz 64,

Thank you for posting. I am sorry to read that you have just been diagnosed with vaginal cancer. I can appreciate what a difficult and worrying time this is for you.

Although, perhaps, it is a short time since you had your diagnosis, I can imagine that waiting a week and not having an appointment with the oncologist does feel like a long time. I can see from your post that you have just spoken to a Macmillan nurse which is good news so hopefully, you will hear something by the end of the week. If you haven't heard anything by then you can always contact the nurse again or as rumpelstiltskin says you can always try contacting the oncologist secretary.

You may find it useful to know there are waiting times targets in England with the aim of having a diagnosis and starting treatment as soon as possible. In England, the waiting time target is you should not wait more than two months before starting treatment. The two months start from the date the hospital received your urgent referral. However, waiting times can vary depending on the type of cancer and there are some situations where a person may need to wait longer if extra tests are needed. Usually waiting for treatment to start will not affect how well the treatment works. We have more information about waiting times here.

A cancer diagnosis and waiting to start treatment can be distressing and very unsettling for you and your loved ones.  We have useful information about how to mentally prepare yourself for treatment here. 

I hope this reply helps. You would be welcome to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. We are available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm and the freephone number is 0808 800 4040

Take care

Jemma