Hi Mark58 and thank you for your post.

I’m sorry to read about your situation and appreciate how difficult it is waiting to have your surgery.

In the UK there are targets for maximum waiting times for cancer patients to start treatment. For example no more than 31 days wait between the decision the doctor agreed the treatment plan and the start of treatment.. We have more information about cancer waiting times on our website.

Hospitals will do their best to meet waiting targets, however many are finding this difficult to achieve. This could be due to staff shortages and winter pressures.

If you have not yet done so, it may be helpful to contact the hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and explain the situation.

People often experience a whole range of emotions when waiting for treatment.   Anxiety UK has helpful tips on how to deal with anxiety in these situations. There is also

 Maggies who are also a great source of support for patients and can also provide counselling and talking therapies to help people process what they are going through and help people move forward.

While no one can give an absolute assurance that your cancer will not get worse during the wait please know that most cancers grow slowly and waiting a few weeks is unlikely to affect the overall situation.

Waiting is difficult so I hope you know more about your situation soon.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina