1. < Breast Cancer

What is considered expected follow-up?

Posted by sedonadreaming @sedonadreaming, Apr 23 2:11pm

I am s/p ILC diagnosis, s/p SMX with immediate DIEP reconstruction 3/28/24. Early stage and no lymph involvement. Strongly ER+/PR+/HER2-.

I met with med onc. last Wednesday and am given the impression that if Oncotype is done (pending insurance) and numbers favorable, she'll put me on an aromatase inhibitor and yearly mammogram. Follow bone density since I am already in osteopenia category.

This seems very simplistic but might be reality. Is there anything else that is considered standard care for someone in my scenario beyond this? I asked if there would be any consideration for ultrasound or MRI for native remaining breast and was cut off almost instantly with "yearly mammogram". I have very dense breasts and always expect the follow-up letter after Mammo saying come in for an U/S.

I guess I don't know what to ask or ask for without knowing what is expected. Anyone?

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

freckle1 | @freckle1 | Apr 25 3:58pm
In reply to @gently "Sedonadreaming, you might ask about PET/CT surveillance over the following years. My cancer was different than..." + (show)
@gently

Sedonadreaming, you might ask about PET/CT surveillance over the following years. My cancer was different than yours but I've been saddened by distant metastasis of breast cancer among friends. I struggled to understand how it could happen. But follow-up especially after five years seem to be non-existent. I've had to press for the imaging that would detect it. A mamogram can't detect brain metastasis. The oncotype will help determine where a metastasis is most likely.
Hello to your handsome devil and best luck

Jump to this post

Insist on yearly ultrasound and mammograms. It's standard practice here in Australia. My breast cancer returned on the other side after 15 years. Grade 3 - very aggressive. Dense breasts - tumour was hiding under the nipple so I couldn't feel it.

REPLY
1 reply
sedonadreaming | @sedonadreaming | Apr 25 4:21pm
In reply to @freckle1 "Insist on yearly ultrasound and mammograms. It's standard practice here in Australia. My breast cancer returned..." + (show)
@freckle1

Insist on yearly ultrasound and mammograms. It's standard practice here in Australia. My breast cancer returned on the other side after 15 years. Grade 3 - very aggressive. Dense breasts - tumour was hiding under the nipple so I couldn't feel it.

Jump to this post

I don't live in Australia and there is nothing standard here in the U.S.

I can insist all day long, but if the cost is on me to pay full price for the extra imaging, I'll go broke. Many are in the same position.

REPLY
1 reply
freckle1 | @freckle1 | Apr 25 7:08pm
In reply to @sedonadreaming "I don't live in Australia and there is nothing standard here in the U.S. I can..." + (show)
@sedonadreaming

I don't live in Australia and there is nothing standard here in the U.S.

I can insist all day long, but if the cost is on me to pay full price for the extra imaging, I'll go broke. Many are in the same position.

Jump to this post

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are presumably not cheap either. I've also been left with chemotherapy peripheral neuropathy - which,among other things, makes me a falls risk- and the need to stay on anastrozole for years. Hard to put a price on that. No family history of breast cancer.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.