Does an MDT meeting mean there is reason to worry?

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, I am hoping to be able to talk to some people and perhaps gain a bit of insight to what is going on.

I am 26, and about 6 weeks ago had a suspicious mole removed from my upper back. This of course was sent of for biopsy. At this point I was not really worried.

Today, I finally get a bit more information from the consultants secetary in that the results have come back, however before I can be told anymore they need to have an MDT meeting. I looked into what an MDT meeting is, and searches primarily include "cancer patients".

Does this mean they have found something, or is this standard practise for all mole removals?

Thanks

  • The MDT discussed my CRPS since I needed revision surgery on my foot from a previous 'botched' tailor's bunion procedure.  The orthopedic surgeon can't operate until the CRPS 'settles' - I've been taking Pregabalin as directed from a pain specialist, and in some cases the dose is increased or a sympathetic block is applied.

    I assumed the 'best brains' would have a better strategy than commenting 'there is nothing else we can do' and referring me on to a specialist dealing in sports medicine and foot and ankle surgery??

  • Hi Moonpie, 

    ive come across your post when I was trying to ascertain whether an MDT meeting instantly indicates something sinister.I  I hope your results were favourable to you and you are ok. 

  • Hi there. 
    unfortunately my result were not good and I did indeed have cancer ,  I do think you can be called in if you haven't cancer too as there's obviously something a miss for you to be referred in the first place.  
    I completed my treatment by the end of 2020 having had chemo lumpectomy and rads.  At this time I'm clear of the pesky cancer, getting on with life and god Dan enjoying my self. I hope if your waiting for result they are good news. All the very best to you.  

  • Hi Flees,

    A very warm welcome to our forum.

    I just wanted to reassure you that discussing your case at an MDT meeting is not neccessarily sinister. This is a routine meeting, between all of the different medical experts, likely to be involved in your care, should you have cancer. It is where your consultant discusses your results and, with the help of  his team, decides whether or not you need any treatment. If you do, they will discuss the best course of action and have a plan for you to move forward, when you get your results.

    Do you know when you will get your resuults yet - it is usually quite soon after the MDT is held. Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Hi moonpie,   I'm so sorry to hear that your outcome wasn't so good but find your positive attitude inspiring. This will be my 2nd MDT meeting to ascertain biopsy results,  the first was June 2021 where I was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer and pagets disease. A recent ultrasound has shown shadows that Dr is unsure is scarring and she advised this procedure will be just like the last so I wanted to reassure myself MDT doesn't necessarily mean cancer,  it could be something else. Thank you for responding. I wish you well xxx

  • Hi jolamine thank you for your welcome and for your reassuring words. I am hopeful that this is not the return of breast cancer,  when I was first diagnosed in June 2021 I was on autopilot to get through the surgeries,  chemo and radiotherapy. I've literally just finished 18 infusions of herceptin and I'm on tamoxifen and zoladex for 5 years so surely God would not be so cruel for me to be diagnosed again so soon. I have been taking tamoxifen for a year now and only in December have I started experiencing cramps and menstrual pain,  pains down my left leg and across breasts,  that's why I had another ultrasound carried out and that's shown some shadows that can't be ruled out as just scarring so I'm now awaiting biopsy results. I was in denial of ever having cancer so didn't seek advice etc but now I feel I need some strength from fellow cancer warriors xxx

  •  

    Hi Flees,

    I am so sorry to hear that this could possibly be a second bout for you, but I do hope that it's not.  I know just how worrying this can be. I have had 2 bouts within a year of one another myself. Fortunately that was 13 years ago, but there is always the fear that it will reoccur or spread. Unfortunately, this is something that everyone who has had a cancer diagnosis needs to learn to live with.

    I have been very fortunate, in that I have helped my family celebrate many milestones in the intervening years and feel very fortunate. Now that you've found this forun, you need never feel alone again. We have nearly all had cancer of some kind, so fully appreciate exactly what you are going through and are always here to support you I hope that you are coping with your treatment so far and look forward to hearing how you get on with your biopsy results.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

     

  • Thank you for replying jolamine, you must have been so shocked to have a reoccurrence so soon,  It feels almost  incredulous to me but the Dr who carried out ultrasound and biopsy advised that it can happen and unfortunately your own experience reaffirms it. I spoke with my Oncologist today who had called to bid me farewell after finishing herceptin last week, I ran over all my symptoms with her and she is focusing more on the pain in my leg,  which to me feels menstrual. She is referring me to have bone scan  to rule out spread to bones. I feel foolish in that if I hadn't focused on the breast pain and told the breast team my symptoms as a whole then I wouldn't necessarily been given an ultrasound and biopsy,  and they would refer me for scan. I think once you have experienced what we have then you just instantly focus on the site of where the cancer was. Thank you for your message and I will certainly keep in touch xxx

  • Hi Dave, sorry to reply to you personally but you seem to know how the system works!

    I recently had a biopsy and they've found CIN, haven't said what letter just that they'll be in touch after they have an MDT. How often do they normally hold these meetings and do you know roughly how long it then takes them to get back in touch? I've had MDTs due to being super high risk in pregnancy as well as other problems leading up to my reason for having the biopsy and I'm quite worried!

     

    Thank you in advance! 

  • Hi AnonF,

    I'm sure you won't be surprised if I answer "it depends"! Weekly seems normal but I don't think there's any fixed period.
    Someone who definitely should know for certain is either your named nurse specialist or, if you don't have one, your Consultant's medical secretary. This second under appreciated group of people have the role of managing one or more Consultant's diaries. If you ring the hospital switchboard and ask for Dr (insert name)'s medical secretary, you should get straight through. Just say you have a few questions that are stressing you out that she/he may be able to help with.
    Over the years, I've asked both the named specialist nurse and the med secs all sorts of questions by phone both about my own and my wife's treatment plans (she had a massive brain haemorrhage in the same year I was diagnosed with Cancer but we both recovered against all expectations). If they've not been able to answer, they've signposted me to someone who can.

    I hope you get all the answers you need.

    Best wishes

    Dave