What is the worst medical diagnosis you've received over the phone?

I had a small black “mole” on my nose. It wasn’t really noticeable, but I wanted it removed, so the doctor did because I asked him to. If I had said to leave it, he would have left it.

I didn’t think any more about it until I got a phone call from an assistant, about a week later, who casually said, “Well, we biopsied the spot we removed from your nose and it is cancerous so you need to come in again.”
I was stunned. I said, “Is it possible it’s benign?”
She said, impatiently, “No, it’s cancer. It’s not benign. It’s cancer.”

Jesus woman. So I went in for another biopsy which said more needed to be removed so I did, and everything is fine now.

The doctor was very, very surprised it turned out to be cancer too.