Question about BC Follow-up Care

Betsydoglover
Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi all -

I'm Betsy from the colorectal message board (Stage IV CRC - doing well.) I have a question for you all.

I have a close friend who was diagnosed with some type of breast cancer (Stage 3x - don't knoow what x is) in January 2005. She had two breast surgeries (didn't get clean margins the first time), had the standard 4 cycles of Adriamycin and friends and then the other bone pain causing stuff (sorry to be so ignorant). And she had radiation after that, all ending in about August 2005.

My friend is in an HMO and she and some of us are concerned about whether she is getting the correct follow-up care. She sees the onc every 3 months and basically gets asked how she is feeling - she says OK - and they send her on her way.

Is this the normal BC follow-up? All cancers are different, but I get CT and PET scans every 3 months, plus blood work. So, I would like to hear your experiences so that I can share them with my friend.

Thanks all,
Betsy

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
    Hello, Betsy!

    I have an HMO, and my follow-up is similar, with the addition of a breast exam, an abdominal palp (for the CRC), and a lab slip for CEA and CA-29. Yearly mammo's. I think it depends on the oncologist...and with stage IV, as you know, you had mets to distant places....my last scan for the CRC was 5 months ago....1 month after my 1-year post-cancer colonoscopy...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Future
    Future Member Posts: 133 Member
    #3
    The American Society of Clinical Oncology has guidelines that include information on follow up care. Suggest you try website below. Because you don't know specifics on her cancer it's hard to say what should/shouldn't be done. Hope the guide helps.

    http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
    Future said:

    The American Society of Clinical Oncology has guidelines that include information on follow up care. Suggest you try website below. Because you don't know specifics on her cancer it's hard to say what should/shouldn't be done. Hope the guide helps.

    http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/

    WOW! Thanks so much, future!!!! According to my 2 cancers' stages, I am getting what I should....hummmm, always wondered!!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #5
    I am not in an HMO, but my follow up is similar.. First went to every 3 months for Rad, Onc & Surgeon... All three check me... but now they alternate so I only see one of them every 3 months... and I am now back on only an Annual Mammogram...

    YIPEEE.... Progress... no Doctors on a weekly or monthly basis...

    Susan
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #6
    My breast cancer followup is also similar: every three months the first two years, every six months the second two years, and once a year then with the surgeon and oncologist generally switching off. The exams include questions about any problems, a breast exam (sometimes done by a specially trained nurse practitioner) and of course, the yearly mammogram. If anything looks weird, the mammogram is more often. They don't like to do CAT scans and PET scans until symptoms show up, because it really doesn't prolong survival. Uh, I kind of worry about that. I always thought it was best to catch cancer early and it is the first time around. But the research says it doesn't help to find the spread early from a survival standpoint. I find that a bit disheartening, but there it is. It does help to reduce the amount of radiation we get as cancer patients if they wait too. Pain that doesn't have an explanation and won't go away, losing weight without dieting, stuff like that needs to be checked out in case more chemo is needed. Then they do the further tests as I understand it.
    Now for my lung cancer I do get CAT scans every 3 months. Guess they can't do a manual exam on my lung and there, early finding is helpful. Go figure!
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #7
    I have a bit advice and thought on this. It seems if we all look back we can see things that were going on at the time of our diagnosis that most of us weren't listening to at the time. Our bodies speak to us and most often are screaming trying to get our attention. My doctors have concern about too much radiation exposure. My doctors were very good about checking and still are good about checking things out when I come in with spacific problems. One has to be clear about what the problems are and how our bodies are feeling. I can look back from my cancer diagnosis and see that shear exhaustion I was feeling at the time and for years prior to my cancer diagnosis was indeed a symptom of something very serious going on. My body was trying to tell me for years but as women we can always find reasons for the pain or the tired feelings. Maybe the real deal is in facing all we feel and address all our concerns even if it is just being exhausted.
    Be good to yourself always,
    Tara

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