A Lump in His Neck | Macen's Story

Macen Revels was driving an 18-wheeler, when he felt it—a lump in his neck. Weeks of waiting for doctor’s appointments brought on late nights, stress, and “a feeling like I’m alone,” admits Revels. That changed once he made it to Cone Health Cancer Center. “Things happened so fast; it kept me from freaking out.” So now Cone Health has dramatically shortened that agonizing time between suspicion and a plan to find out what is going on to just one or two days.

Rapid diagnosis is critical in cancer care, not only for improving someone's chances of beating cancer but also for reducing its emotional toll. Nationally, the average time for someone to find out they have a type of cancer called a solid tumor is 5.2 months. Delays often lead to more advanced cancer with lower chances of survival. Cone Health’s approach ensures that people with abnormal findings—such as lumps, abnormal scans, or other concerning symptoms—can determine whether they have cancer much sooner.

Once a provider refers someone to a Cone Health Cancer Center, a cancer navigator contacts the patient usually on the same day and schedules the first appointment— which occurs within two business days on average. This accelerates the scheduling of MRIs, biopsies, and other tests needed to determine if it is cancer—and if so, what to do about it.

Personal experiences helped drive this initiative. Elizabeth Deatherage, RN, lost her mom to cancer. While delays didn’t contribute to her death, they were agonizing. She knew there had to be a better way. Colleague Irene Thayil, a physician assistant at Cone Health Cancer Center, knew that too. Inspired by her experience at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Thayil was determined to reduce the anxiety and uncertainty people face waiting for diagnostic appointments. “Not good enough,” she said of the previous wait times. “Two weeks for a scan is not good enough.” Teams across Cone Health made adjustments that opened times in busy schedules for diagnosing patients. That mindset led to the creation of Cone Health’s rapid diagnosis service.

Cone Health’s commitment to faster diagnosis reflects a broader need for improved cancer care in the U.S., where delays remain common and costly. The center’s new service not only improves efficiency but also provides patients with peace of mind during a critical time.

Today, Macen’s cancer is in remission and he and his wife are planning a trip to New Orleans.