Wife will have biopsy next week. Which doctor to see first?

Oncologist, but it won't matter since you'll see both and you are at UCLA. You might start looking at which oncologists you'd prefer. Your involvement is heartwarming.

Wow, thank you for standing with her @frank1956 . Since you are going to the breast clinic at UCLA I agree with @gently that it probably wouldn’t matter, my humble advice would be the oncologist. This is a doctor who can coordinate the proper order of things for your wife. Since every cancer is different, the best order of things will be different as well. Sometimes surgery should not come first. Also, I wouldn’t worry, if your wife needs radiation, they will refer her to a radiation oncologist.
Usually none of this happens without a biopsy, and a diagnosis, so I will just pray your wife has a fibroid or something and doesn’t have to join the club. If she does, we will all be here to provide support and tell of our own personal journeys.
Will you come back and let us know if she needs an oncologist and what you decide?

@frank1956 I can appreciate your trying to get ahead of this but in my experience they tell you what to do next! I met the oncologist and the surgeon after my biopsy.

More importantly, I would suggest- hard as it might be- not to think of cancer as "the unthinkable." I am 10 years out from a nasty 1.5 cm grade 3 cancer and a test called the Oncotype indicated I did not benefit from chemo so I didn't do it, but did hormonal meds.

Many of us do fine. Those measurements are pretty darn small. I know it's difficult but it will benefit your wife if you understand that a diagnosis is not the end of the world (and she doesn't have one yet...)

Thank you for the comforting words. I had my share of 'scare'. I just completed my 2nd prostate biopsy though came out benign. What a relief. It was a full 8 months of worry, research, and sleepless nights for me. But I will have to repeat all the tests, biopsy in another 6 months.
Now we face this new challenge for DW...

Keep us posted!

My experience is that you’d probably see the medical oncologist to review the pathology from the biopsy first before discussing surgery. Even if the lump is benign there may be some options in follow up care and monitoring.

It’s helpful to have the oncologist and surgeon near each other - hopefully to coordinate appointments and increase sharing of information. Even though I was at a comprehensive cancer center where all services were available in one building, I went to one of their satellite centers, an hour away from the medical center, for radiation. They even said I could do radiation in my home town - but I did want to stay within their system as I felt the quality of care might be better.

It’s great that your wife caught this when it was small. Hoping for the best outcome for her!

@frank1956,

I hope biopsy will come back negative, but I understand thinking about "What if".

I googled UCLA Breast Clinic and appears they have team of experts. If you do need to make an appt at a Breast Clinic at large medical facility, they probably have a process of who to start with, if additional tests are needed, etc... When my biobsy came back positive, my primary referred me to Mayo's Breast Clinic and they coordinated who I needed to see . I started with a medical oncologist who discussed my options and arrange appointments based on those options.

Hope everything goes well. When is biobsy scheduled?

Thank you for the responses. Looks like the consensus is to see Medical Oncologist first.
My wife's biopsy will be next Tuesday ( 10/1/24).

After positive mammogram radiology oncologist did needle biopsy. After those results I saw surgeon who then took my case before the board. I then saw oncologist and radiation oncologist. My entire year was mapped out prior to surgery. That was 2 years ago- my oncologist runs the show now. Everyone’s journey is a little different. This is a wonderful site to help prepare for a journey nobody plans to take

@frank1956, that's a lot of anguish and worry. Any results from your wife's biopsy?