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Bone scan results waiting time

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User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 10:09

Hello, my husband has minor symptoms but a blood test showed PSA levels of 483. He had a bone scan two weeks ago. How long is he likely to have to wait for the results?

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 14:39

Hi Jakki under normal circumstances 7-10 days however we're in unprecedented times.


Give Oncology a call on Monday and ask them for the results.


Good luck with it.

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 16:39

Every test of that type was 3 weeks with me. The scan needs to be analysed and the report produced, and needs to go into the weekly MDT meeting where it's discussed to decide on next actions, and then a letter needs to go out inviting you to an appointment. Each of those takes a week.


I did knock a week off this for the bone scan report by getting the CNS to make me an appointment in advance, a couple of hours after the MDT where it would have been discussed.


This is all pre-COVID - might be longer now.

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 19:16
Jakki,

Do yourselves a favour and either order or download the free ‘Tool Kit’, fully comprehensive, information folder, from the Publications section of this website - I prefer the paper version - which explains everything to do with possible and actual prostate cancer, and the potential treatments for it.

Best of luck.

Cheers, John.
User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 21:14

Jakki our CNS has been most obliging. She has emailed me biopsy report, bone scan and MRI results and latterly the post op histology report. 

Best wishes.

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 00:17
I think in Lexi's case, he had already been told that he had prostate cancer - a nurse is unlikely to give that news to a new patient over the phone for the first time.

Jakki, assuming he hasn't already had a biopsy I am not sure you will get any results yet - I suspect you are waiting for an appointment letter for a biopsy or a letter advising you that the case has been transferred to oncology.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 08:12

In my husbands case last year (pre covid), he was told he had advanced prostate cancer by the urologist based on his mri for hernia and a PSA of 289 and started on bicultamide (then prostap). 


He was referred to oncology and the appointment was 1 month later.


In that month he had the biopsy and the bone scan and got the results and treatment plan at that appointment.


Its long time to wait when you are anxious. Good luck. 

Mrs MAS

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 10:18

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
a nurse is unlikely to give that news to a new patient over the phone for the first time.


During COVID, that's happened a lot, and much worse (although not via SMS that I know of). With many of the staff away on COVID duty (particularly all the CNS's), breaking the news of a cancer diagnosis has been done by other staff not familiar with how to do it either procedurally (e.g. by accident), or not knowing how to handle a patient who's just been told, and without any access to the normal Macmillan (or whatever) services that might normally be available. I've come across many such in support groups and 1-2-1 sessions.

Edited by member 20 Sep 2020 at 10:19  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 10:44
Although to be fair, I assume that it has already been explained to Jakki's OH that with such a high PSA, he almost certainly has prostate cancer and the reason they have gone straight to bone scan.

But even so, I find it shocking to think that a nurse or secretary would give the diagnosis to him over the phone tomorrow. I think it is rather different in a case like Lexi's where they have already been given the diagnosis so chasing up nurses or secretaries to get the results of different diagnostics is possibly more fruitful.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 14:39

Hi Jakki under normal circumstances 7-10 days however we're in unprecedented times.


Give Oncology a call on Monday and ask them for the results.


Good luck with it.

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 15:01
Thank you, JasperM
User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 16:39

Every test of that type was 3 weeks with me. The scan needs to be analysed and the report produced, and needs to go into the weekly MDT meeting where it's discussed to decide on next actions, and then a letter needs to go out inviting you to an appointment. Each of those takes a week.


I did knock a week off this for the bone scan report by getting the CNS to make me an appointment in advance, a couple of hours after the MDT where it would have been discussed.


This is all pre-COVID - might be longer now.

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 16:49
Thank you so much, Andy62. We were expecting to hear within days so have been on tenterhooks. I should have asked this question first!
User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 19:16
Jakki,

Do yourselves a favour and either order or download the free ‘Tool Kit’, fully comprehensive, information folder, from the Publications section of this website - I prefer the paper version - which explains everything to do with possible and actual prostate cancer, and the potential treatments for it.

Best of luck.

Cheers, John.
User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 19:54

Our CNS text us the results of bone scan 24hrs later. I understand the anguish. Good luck.

User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 20:45
You are fortunate indeed, Lexi26. Bollinge I have now ordered the toolkit. Thank you both for your replies.
User
Posted 19 Sep 2020 at 21:14

Jakki our CNS has been most obliging. She has emailed me biopsy report, bone scan and MRI results and latterly the post op histology report. 

Best wishes.

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 00:17
I think in Lexi's case, he had already been told that he had prostate cancer - a nurse is unlikely to give that news to a new patient over the phone for the first time.

Jakki, assuming he hasn't already had a biopsy I am not sure you will get any results yet - I suspect you are waiting for an appointment letter for a biopsy or a letter advising you that the case has been transferred to oncology.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 08:12

In my husbands case last year (pre covid), he was told he had advanced prostate cancer by the urologist based on his mri for hernia and a PSA of 289 and started on bicultamide (then prostap). 


He was referred to oncology and the appointment was 1 month later.


In that month he had the biopsy and the bone scan and got the results and treatment plan at that appointment.


Its long time to wait when you are anxious. Good luck. 

Mrs MAS

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 10:18

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
a nurse is unlikely to give that news to a new patient over the phone for the first time.


During COVID, that's happened a lot, and much worse (although not via SMS that I know of). With many of the staff away on COVID duty (particularly all the CNS's), breaking the news of a cancer diagnosis has been done by other staff not familiar with how to do it either procedurally (e.g. by accident), or not knowing how to handle a patient who's just been told, and without any access to the normal Macmillan (or whatever) services that might normally be available. I've come across many such in support groups and 1-2-1 sessions.

Edited by member 20 Sep 2020 at 10:19  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 10:39
In a telephone call when the patient rings to see if there are any results?

If so, we have a much bigger problem than Covid in our NHS - we have a total lack of humanity.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 20 Sep 2020 at 10:44
Although to be fair, I assume that it has already been explained to Jakki's OH that with such a high PSA, he almost certainly has prostate cancer and the reason they have gone straight to bone scan.

But even so, I find it shocking to think that a nurse or secretary would give the diagnosis to him over the phone tomorrow. I think it is rather different in a case like Lexi's where they have already been given the diagnosis so chasing up nurses or secretaries to get the results of different diagnostics is possibly more fruitful.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
 
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