Referral to a specialist for symptoms of womb cancer

Your GP should arrange for you to see a specialist or have tests if you have symptoms that could be due to womb cancer. Depending on your symptoms and other factors, this might be an urgent suspected cancer referral.

You will see a specialist as soon as possible. Ask your GP when this is likely to be.

Seeing your GP

It can be hard for GPs to decide who may have cancer and who might have a more minor condition. For some symptoms, your doctor may ask you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment, such as antibiotics.

Your GP might arrange for you to have some tests first. This will help them decide if you need to see a specialist. Sometimes, they may not wait for the results before referring you to a specialist. They will also use their knowledge, skills and clinical judgement.

UK referral guidelines

There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary slightly between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement.

In England and Wales

Your doctor should arrange for you to see a specialist if you are|:

• over 55 and have postmenopausal bleeding. This means any unexplained vaginal bleeding that happens more than 1 year after your periods have stopped because of the menopause
• under 55 and have unexplained vaginal bleeding that happens more than 1 year after your last period because of the menopause

You might be referred for an ultrasound scan if you are over 55 and have:

• unexplained symptoms of vaginal discharge and have these symptoms for the first time or a high platelet count (shown in blood tests) or blood in your urine 
• blood in your urine, with one of these: low haemoglobin, high platelet level, or high blood sugar level (shown in blood tests)

In Scotland

Your doctor should  arrange for you to see a specialist if you have:

• been taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and have persistent or unexplained bleeding after stopping your HRT for at least 4 weeks

• unexplained bleeding and you are taking tamoxifen

• bleeding after finishing your periods following your menopause (postmenopausal bleeding)

• bleeding between your periods

You may have an ultrasound scan if you have a swelling in your tummy that your doctor doesn't think is related to fibroids, your bowel or bladder. 

In Northern Ireland

Your doctor should arrange for you to see a specialist if you are:

• not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and have bleeding after finishing your periods following your menopause (postmenopausal bleeding)

• on hormone replacement therapy with persistent or unexplained bleeding after stopping your HRT for at least 6 weeks

• taking tamoxifen with postmenopausal bleeding

• having persistent bleeding between periods, and a pelvic examination didn’t show anything abnormal

You may have an ultrasound scan if you have a swelling in your tummy that your doctor doesn't think is related to fibroids, your bowel or bladder.

If an urgent ultrasound is unavailable, an urgent referral should be made.

Other symptoms

Your GP will consider any other symptoms you have, so do mention these. They might also take into account whether you have any risk factors that affect your chances of developing womb cancer.

If you're still worried

Sometimes you might feel that your GP is not concerned enough about your symptoms. If you think they should be more concerned, print this page and the symptoms page. Ask your GP to explain why they don’t think you need a referral.

Contact your GP again if your symptoms don't get better or you notice any new or unusual symptoms. 

What should I do if I don’t get my appointment?

If your GP has referred you, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.

Waiting times

Your hospital is working towards waiting time targets. For example, a target to find out whether you have cancer or not. And there are targets to start treatment if you are diagnosed with cancer. These are slightly different depending on where you live in the UK.