Hi Biggie3708,

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Please try not to worry about your GPs silence and the speed of your referral. Nobody can tell what this lump is, until you have a couple of scans. The tests most frequently carried out are a mammogram and an ultrasound. At your age, it will probably depend on how dense your breasts are, as to whether you get a mammogram or not. This is because younger people usually have denser breasts and these don't show up well on mammogram. They often carry out a biopsy too, as this determines if there is any cancer present, whereas the first two help to locate the lump. It is normal to be referred via the "urgent 2 week pathway" for any suspicious breast lump, so it's not as scary as it sounds. You may be given a diagnosis straight away, but you will have a wait of about 2 weeks to get the results, if you have a biopsy. You will find the medical staff you'll meet all very understanding and they will do their best to put you at ease.

Not all lumps turn out to be cancer. Only 20% of those who attend the breast clinic will get a cancer diagnosis. The other 80% tend to be benign cysts, Fibroadenoma, lumpy breasts, etc. Try to keep busy while you wait for your appointment - it doesn't matter whether this is with business or pleasure - anything to take your mind off the wait. Also, try to avoid the natural temptation to consult "Dr Google". Much of the information here is poorly researched, out of date and aimed at the more spectacular cases. This won't do anything to ease your mind - in fact, it will only heighten your anxiety and won't give you any answers.  We are usually told to leave 3-4 hours for our first appointment. This is because there can be a wait for all the different scans, etc. Most visits don't usually take as long as this.

 Once you get your results, you will usually have another consultation with your surgeon, who will have discussed your case at a MDT meeting (multi-disciplinary team meeting). Between all the medical experts, who might be involved in your care, the attendants will decide between themselves, the best treatment, should you need any.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you and I am happy to answer any questions you may have.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx