Why test for cancer when only symptom is weight loss an anxiety

The doctor is being cautious as there are several symptoms, unexplained UTIs, unexplained weight loss and the patient is feeling something's not right by the sound of it ,better to be safe than sorry surely . Not sure why you would question the consultants obvious concerns. It wil mostly turn out to be nothing serious.

I wondered whether her anxiety was playing a dominant role.She admits she is feeling better and has put weight on but her anxiety is focussed on Alzheimers too.It'a since she turned 70.When she was most anxious she lost her appetite but it has come back now
Ironically people who do actually have symptom see to be seen less quickly in London.She is in the country

Doctors these days have protocols to follow. If your friend's health ticked some of the boxes then the dr would be duty-bound to refer her.

Maybe the fact that she has the referral has eased her anxiety?
I don't know if a gp would consider it worthwhile or prudent to request a medical procedure on those grounds though?

You really have no idea what the GP learnt from her history, or felt or saw on examination. They will refer if they think there is a "risk" of cancer, not necessarily because they think it is definitely there.

As she had been going backwards and forwards to the GP since October and as she had weight loss which can certainly be a cancer pointer be happy she is getting quick attention and hopefully all will be well then she can relax again

I had a very quick referral (a week from GP to hospital) recently for continued unexplained (invisible) blood in my urine not improved by antibiotics. This on the basis of two urine tests. I had an abdominal scan and a bladder camera which showed up nothing. I made a comment that I seemed to have wasted their time only to be told that two people with the same symptoms as me had been shown to have tumours so it was never a waste of time. I hope your friend’s referral has a similarly satisfactory outcome.

They don't mess about when you have symptoms that could be cancer even if it's likely to be something else.

I think she is enjoying the fuss as she has 2 other scans this week.She was going to the doctor for panic and he said she was depressed

Someone close to me has been unwell with UTI's on and off since October
^So the doctor referred her to colo-rectal consultant whom she saw in 10 days.He said she has no symptoms but yet she has got an urgent referral for a colonoscopy just a week after seeing him.I am puzzled as she has no symptoms.

Those two statements seem to contradict each other

It's good to hear that they are investigating further after a series of UTIs.
Let's hope it is nothing serious.

Is this the lady you have posted about before Katwrites, the one who you said was behaving rather oddly if I remember the threads?

Let's hope that this time there is not really something wrong, and hope she gets the results quickly.

No,it is not the same lady

Ah, I did wonder

Hope she is OK anyway, the investigations will not be that pleasant but it is good that the doctors are acting quickly; let's hope it is nothing to worry about.

Are you pleased for her?
I would be really pleased if a friend of mine was given speedy referrals

I agree nana. it's just she's been suffering panic and insomnia and this may be part of that as she is also worried about getting Alzheimer's since she turned 70.It seems to have really upset her getting old though basically her health is good as is her vision etc
When you live a long way from someone it is hard to suss out the truth!

Apparently as our brother had it she told the doc she was worried.But UTI's can really affect one mentally when older and maybe it is that.

It's possible she also had blood tests which can show raised markers for some cancers, even without specific symptoms?

Yes, UTIs can cause confusion.

A colonoscopy will reveal more than whether or not she has cancer. It will show anything else that is causing problems in her colon, or if there is nothing wrong visible in there at all. It has been booked so as to rule out disease as much as to find it.

Thank you,everyone.I am sad as she is feeling much better and putting on weight too

www.scientificamerican.com/article/many-colonoscopies-for-seniors-carry-unnecessary-risks/

I see from the article above colonoscopies carry risks especially for older people.And the liquid laxative can leave you cycling between diarrhea and constipation for weeks or months.That won't help a panicky lady very much.This is the problem with certain procedures/surgeries.

Unexplained weight loss is always a red flag. I've learnt to be fairly non committal about my weight rather than trigger a whole lot of tests for things I haven't got.

There is a thread about colonoscopy procedures, Katewrites. It may be helpful to read that (or not!)