Gynaecology 2WW Patient Information Leaflet

Cancer pathway for patients being investigated for possible
gynaecological cancer
Introduction
Information for patients

This leaflet will give you information about why you have been referred onto the cancer
pathway and what to expect. A member of staff will speak to you about everything in this
leaflet, but if you have any questions, please ask us.
Why have I been referred to a gynaecology specialist?
You have been referred to a gynaecology specialist because your symptoms need
further tests. There are many common conditions that these symptoms could be linked
to, including the possibility of cancer.
Most patients referred for further tests do not have cancer. But it is important that you
have these tests quickly so if needed, we can diagnose you and start treatment as soon
as possible.
This can be a very worrying time for you and your family, so we aim to keep the time
between your referral, diagnosis and any treatment, if you need it, as short as possible.
We need your help to make this happen.
What is the gynaecological cancer pathway?

The appointments and tests you may need to have to examine your symptoms are
described as a pathway, and the timeline below shows the order of the appointments
from referral to treatment. You may not need all these tests. If cancer is ruled out early in
the pathway, you will not need the rest of the tests.
These timings are the national requirements for hospitals to provide a rapid service to
patients, so that people who need treatment can start it as soon as possible, but you
may be seen more quickly than this.
Some hospitals provide specialist treatment for patients with gynaecological cancer – For
London Northwest University Trust, the specialist centre is Imperial Health Trust. You may
be referred to this hospital if this is the best place for your diagnosis and treatment.
Day 1
• Your GP will refer you to a local hospital

By day 7 – 14
Cancer pathway for patients being investigated for possible gynaecological cancer
First published: June 2022 Review date: June 2024 Reference: 102022
• You will attend your first outpatient appointment. This may include some scans and a
hysteroscopy. A hysteroscopy is a procedure to examine the inside of the womb, using
a hysteroscope, which is a narrow telescope with a light and camera at the end. Some
women experience discomfort during this procedure, but your doctor or nurse will tell
you more about what to expect and what pain relief to take if necessary.
• Depending on your needs, you may have scans such as:
- CT - an x-ray that takes detailed pictures of your body from different angles. A
computer then puts them together to give a series of pictures.
- MRI – the combination of a powerful magnet and radio waves that scan your body
and provides us with detailed images of your pelvis
- Ultrasound scan – high frequency sound waves that build a picture of the inside of
your body. The sound waves bounce off the organs inside your body and a
microphone picks them up. The microphone links to a computer that turns the
sound waves into a picture on the screen. They are usually done in a hospital x-ray
department by a sonographer. Most scans are performed vaginally, in order to get
the best picture
For some people, it is possible to do these on the same day, which may take a while.
For others, you may need to come back.
• If cancer has not been found following your tests, you may be referred for other tests to
find out what is causing your symptoms.
• If cancer has been found, a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals will

meet to discuss your test results and treatment plan.
By day 38
• You will be referred to a specialist hospital, if needed, and your tests will be reviewed
by a specialist multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals.
By day 45
• You will attend an outpatient appointment and a specialist who will explain your
diagnosis. If you need treatment, then they will discuss the different options in detail
with you.
• If needed, we will take a biopsy and/or drain fluid from your chest or abdomen. A
biopsy is a sample of tissue taken from the body so that it can be examined more
closely. A doctor may recommend a biopsy where this a suggestion that an area of
tissue in the body isn’t normal. Most biopsies are done under local anaesthetic, where
the area around where the biopsy is being taken is numb, so you won’t feel any pain.
By day 62
• You will start your treatment.
If there is any delay to your appointments, then a member of the gynaecological oncology
team will contact you.
What do I need to do?
• You may be contacted at short notice to attend appointments. It is very important that
you attend all the appointments we offer you. Delaying these slows down the process
of making a diagnosis and starting any treatment you might need.
• Please be available for the next six weeks for appointments.
• Please let us know if you change your contact details.
• If you cannot attend an appointment or are planning to go away, please discuss this
with your GP practice or hospital doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Please
reschedule any trips away if possible.
• If you have an emergency and cannot keep your appointment, please inform the
centralised booking team by calling the number in your letter. You will then need to
arrange another appointment.
• We suggest that you bring a friend or family member to appointments if you can.
• Please bring a list of your current medications.
• If a translator/interpreter is required, please let the hospital know in advance by calling
020 8869 2868.
• If you need transport to and from the hospital, please speak with your GP who can
advise how this can be arranged.
Who can I contact for more information?
If you have any questions at any point, you can contact us on 020 8869 2866. Please
leave a short message, along with your name and contact details, and we will respond
within 24 hours, between Monday and Friday. You can also email us at
lnwh-tr.gynaeappointments@nhs.net.
Unfortunately, we cannot give results over the phone.
General Trust information
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS is a confidential service for people who would like information, help or advice about
the services provided by any of our hospitals. Please call 020 8869 5118 between 9.30am
and 4.30pm or e-mail LNWH-tr.PALS@nhs.net Please note that this service does not
provide clinical advice so please contact the relevant department directly to discuss any
concerns or queries about your upcoming test, examination or operation.
If you would like this information in an easy-to-read format, large print, braille,
different format or language, please contact the PALS team on 020 8869 5118 or
email lnwh-tr.PALS@nhs.net We will do our best to meet your needs.

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Cancer pathway for patients being investigated for possible

Information for patients

Why have I been referred to a gynaecology specialist?

What is the gynaecological cancer pathway?

• Your GP will refer you to a local hospital

• Depending on your needs, you may have scans such as:

• If cancer has been found, a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals will

• You will start your treatment.

Who can I contact for more information?

Unfortunately, we cannot give results over the phone.

General Trust information

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

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