This information is for people who have been referred to University Hospitals Plymouth on a suspected cancer pathway.
Please ensure:
Your contact details are accurate
Where possible you are available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice
Find more information about your referral:
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Breast Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Breast Cancer Pathway. Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment where you will be seen by a Breast consultant, a doctor in training, or a Physician Associate (clinically trained but not a doctor). They will discuss your symptoms, relevant past medical history, family history and any medications you may be taking.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off. It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
Please make sure we have your most update to date contact details. Please contact us if these change.
Not all patients require a scan. If you require any further tests, the team will inform you after they have examined you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Mammogram
Ultrasound
Ultrasound and biopsy
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly. In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations.
You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
To contact the Primrose Breast Care Nurses about your care please call 01752 431898.
To contact the Primrose Breast Care Centre about outpatient appointments, dates for your surgery, surveillance imaging or prothesis enquiries please call 01752 432066.
To provide feedback contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01752 439884 or plh-tr.PALS@nhs.net
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Colorectal Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Colorectal Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A Cancer Nurse Specialist (CNS) will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. During this call the CNS will ask you questions about your health, symptoms, and personal circumstances to advise which investigation(s) you may need.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take a day off because some of the investigations require bowel preparation.
During some of the investigations you may be offered a sedative. If you opt to have sedation, you must have an escort to collect you from your appointment and stay with you for 24 hours. It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Quantitative Faecal Immunochemical Test (QFIT)
Colon Capsule
Colonoscopy
CT Colonography Scan
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the Colorectal Nurse Office on 01752 432148.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Gynaecological Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Gynaecological Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to attend either at the radiology department to have a scan examination or at the gynaecology department to be assessed clinically.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Ultrasound examination
Biopsies from the womb, neck of the womb or vulva
Blood tests
CT or MRI scans
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the Gynaecology admin team on 01752 432628 and select the relevant option.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Haematological Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Haematological Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment, where you will be seen by either a Consultant Haematologist or a Specialist Registrar.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Further blood tests
Imaging: CT / MRI / Ultrasound
Bone Marrow Biopsy
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
Haematology Admin Team:
01752 432591 / 01752 433352 / 01752 430126 / 01752 432595
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Head and Neck Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Head & Neck Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Only 1 in 20 patients referred through this pathway will have an underlying cancer diagnosis, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
You will be contacted on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral.
You will be invited to an outpatient appointment, where you will be assessed by a member of the Ear, Nose and Throat team or Maxillo-Facial team. At the appointment you will have a history taken and an examination and if appropriate, you may be offered further investigation.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you are very concerned or feel you need support, please bring someone with you to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Ultrasound neck
MRI neck
CT neck or chest
Biopsy of a lesion or lump
Panendoscopy under a general anaesthetic
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the secretary on 01752 439391.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Lung Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Lung Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to warrant need tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
Your referral will be reviewed within 24 hours by one of the consultants. Shortly afterwards a member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to a CT scan, a clinic appointment or you will be discharged from the service.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
CT Scan
PET CT Scan
Lung Function Tests
Bronchoscopy/EBUS
Ultrasound Pleural Biopsy/Aspiration
CT Lung Biopsy
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the Lung Fast Track Coordinators on 01752 433142 or 01752 433143.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Non-Site-Specific Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Non-Site-Specific Suspected Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
The service was developed to prevent delays in diagnosis for patients whose symptoms do not fit a currently established cancer pathway. These symptoms can be unexplained weight loss, tiredness, and a loss of appetite.
You will be contacted on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment where a doctor or an Advanced Practitioner will discuss your symptoms, examine you, then decide on the most appropriate next steps. Some people will have a CT scan on the same day.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
We might organise further blood tests, endoscopies, ultrasound scans, or CT scans. If you need a CT, scanner is an open design (not a tunnel).
All patients are discussed in our Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meeting where we meet with various specialist across the hospital to discuss your case and decide on next steps.
You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you don’t hear within 2 weeks, please contact us on 01752 431315.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Skin Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Skin Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral.
You will be invited to a telemedicine appointment where a clinical member of the team will take a medical photograph of your lesion. The image and clinical information will be assessed by a consultant, then you and your GP will be notified of the outcome of this assessment via letter within 14 days.
If your GP has raised high level of concern about your lesion you might be offered a face-to-face appointment with consultant, without attending a telemedicine appointment first.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If the skin lesion of concern is on your body, please wear loose fitting clothing or something that you can take off easily to avoid delay during the appointment.
If deemed clinically necessary, a further appointment will be made for you to return for a minor surgical procedure. The most common minor surgical procedures are listed below:
Diagnostic skin lesion biopsy under local anaesthetic
Excision of lesion under local anaesthetic
All skin biopsies and excisions are sent for histological analysis, the results of which can take some weeks to return.
Once the result is available your consultant or a member of their team will make contact to inform of the findings. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the appointments team on 01752 439937.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Upper Abdominal Cancer pathway only .
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Upper Abdominal Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment which could be face to face or a telephone consultation. During this appointment the doctor will ask you questions about your health, symptoms, and personal circumstances to advise which investigation(s) you may need.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
It may be helpful if you bring a relative or friend to all appointments.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Telescope examination of the stomach (endoscopy)
CT Scan
Ultrasound scan
Blood tests
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the appointments team on 01752 439937.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Iron Deficiency Anaemia Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to a telephone consultation with a Gastroenterologist or Nurse Specialist, where they will ask you questions about your health, symptoms, and personal circumstances to advise which investigation(s) you may need.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take a day off because some of the investigations require bowel preparation.
During some of the investigations you may be offered a sedative. If you opt to have sedation, you must have an escort to collect you from your appointment and stay with you for 24 hours.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Colonoscopy
Endoscopy (OGD)
Quantitative Faecal Immunochemical Test (qFIT)
CT scan of colon (CTC)
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the appointments team on 01752 439937.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A member of the appointments team will call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an endoscopy examination or an outpatient appointment which could be face to face or a telephone consultation. During this appointment the doctor will ask you questions about your health, symptoms, and personal circumstances to advise which investigation(s) you may need.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off. It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
It may be helpful if you bring a relative or friend to all appointments.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Endoscopy (flexible telescope examination of your oesophagus and stomach)
CT Scan
Ultrasound scan
Blood tests
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the endoscopy appointments team on 01752 438407, or the outpatient appointments team on 01752 439937.
This information is for patients referred on a suspected Urological Cancer pathway only.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Urological Cancer Pathway.
Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
A nurse will triage your referral and may call you to discuss this if more information is needed. A member of the appointments team will then call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment or a scan.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway.
If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off.
It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
MRI scan
Prostate Biopsy
Bone Scan
CTU Scan
Flexible Cystoscopy
Ultrasound Scan
X-ray
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly.
In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the Urology admin team on 01752 438973.
You have been referred for investigations at Derriford Hospital on the Suspected Urological Cancer Pathway. Whilst this does not necessarily mean that you have cancer, the symptoms and history you have reported to your GP have been considered to need fast tracking. Most people referred on this pathway do not have cancer, but it is important to have your symptoms checked out quickly.
You will be referred straight to ultrasound for a scan by your GP. If this scan shows something that requires further investigation, you will be referred to urology. A urology nurse will triage your referral and scan results and may call you to discuss this and to also organise for you to have some blood tests. A member of the appointments team will then call you on the telephone number that you supplied when your GP arranged the referral. You will be invited to an outpatient appointment.
Please be available to attend appointments, investigations, or treatment at short notice to prevent delays in your pathway. If you are employed, please be prepared to take time off. It is useful for you to bring details of your medication to the appointment. Please answer any phone calls from withheld numbers as this may be the hospital trying to make contact with you.
If you require any further tests, the department will contact you to book the appointment with you. The most common investigations are listed below:
Ultrasound Scan
Blood tests
In some cases, we will be able to tell you the cause of your symptoms and offer you treatment or provide reassurance accordingly. In other cases, we may need to refer you for further investigations. You will be contacted about results and any follow up appointments. Your GP will be kept informed throughout this pathway.
If you require further information, please contact the Urology admin team on 01752 438973.
