BRCA2 and follow up screening after breast cancer treatment

Posted by stsybin36 @stsybin36, Feb 19 7:41am

Hello,
My name is Svetlana and I'm undergoing chemo treatment for breast cancer after bilateral mastectomy. My doctors are planning a physical breast examination every 6 months to check for cancer recurrence or develop a new breast cancer. Is physical examination enough? Could you please share your experience?
Thank you.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Feb 19 8:59am

Hello @stsybin36 welcome to connect. I am glad that you have identified the BRCA gene, I have a different set of high risk genetics that weren’t really discovered until later in the game.
This seems like less than what most of the mastectomy patients talk about on other pages. I know there are protocols, but if feels like you should be getting a scan or an ultrasound annually. I know there are mastectomy patients on other pages that get this.
There is another page where some folks are discussing BRCA that might be helpful for you.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/family-members-identified-with-brca2-mutation/
If you scroll up and look top left, you can click on that “breast cancer” and it will open up a list of all the breast cancer pages, you can even search those pages using the search from that page. Feel free to join in any conversation that feels like it could support you.
Have you spoken with your genetic counselor about the follow up? How are you doing with your chemo treatments?