Do Dr's have to tell you if they suspect cancer?

Do they have to be up front or can they say "it's probably benign but we're ruling it out" as a way to not have to give you bad news? 

  • Hi Songbird,

    Everyone forgets that the health system is just like a sausage factory - all cases going through a lab follow "Standard Operating Procedures" SOPs to ensure consistent outcomes. 
    For example if the SOP calls for a referral to a second lab for a second opinion, that will happen regardless of what the original scientist reported, or thought. This is to help mitigate the risk of human error in a small percentage of cases.

     

    Best wishes

    Dave

  • Hi Dave,

    I was told last week that my local hospital 'rarely' send samples to other labs. How true that is I don't know. 

    I will be ringing again on Tuesday (my usual day) to see if there's any news. The admin have been really helpful considering. I know they can't tell me much, but one did mention something about PXR testing, (I don't think that should have been said - but hey ho) and that seems to be molecular testing. 

    Time will tell - it is what it is - and I will deal with it when I finally get these bloomin' results.

     

  • I had trouble swallowing food and was choking, I went to my Dr on Monday and had an emergency endoscopy today.. following the procedure the Dr and a specialist nurse gave me a debrief in a private room. He said that he had found a lump and biopsies were taken and in his experience it is likely that I have cancer... I'll be going for an emergency CT scan and they will hold an emergency meeting on what steps to take... 

     

    Good luck with your test results xx