First Oncology appointment

My partner has been on surveilance for prostrate cancer for three years , it has now gotton worse in prostrate and spread to his vertabrae , he will start hormone injections on Wed but his oncology appointment has come through for Dec on the phone would you believe , we are very anxious and this is all new to us , is this usual ?

  • Hello Pheonie and thanks for posting, 

    I am sorry to learn that your partner's cancer has now spread and can understand this is an unsettling time.

    With the impact of the COVID pandemic, these aren't normal times for the NHS so it is difficult to say what is usual at the moment. But waiting a couple of months to talk over a change in situation and discuss starting cancer treatment doesn't really sound right. However, I assume it was the specialist team looking after your partner's prostate cancer that decided to start the hormone injections, in which case, they have been involved even though he hasn't had the chance to talk things over with them yet. 

    Your partner could ask to speak to the GP who I assume has prescribed the hormone injections/therapy. They may have had some contact or information from the hospital. But GPs are generalists so they won't have the same in depth knowledge as a specialist.

    If you have the name of the hospital specialist (you could ask the GP), you could call their secretary (via the hospital switchboard) and ask if the appointment can be arranged any sooner.

    If your partner hasn't already been allocated a specialist nurse at the hospital to contact, he could try phoning the hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to the urology nurse specialists if there are any. They may be able to explains things a little more or bring forward the appointment.

    I hope this is of some use. Please do call us if you want to talk anything over. Our number is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and we are around from 9-5. 

    Best wishes,

    Julia