After my surgery, I had to wait 3 weeks to know the results of my node biopsy, 2 weeks to know the result of my oncotype and then 3 weeks for a slot to have chemo. This had been delayed for a further week, due to a problem with the mastectomy wound. I know that NICE recommends starting chemo within 31 days of the surgery, so I am very worried about the fact that I will only start it 9 weeks after surgery. My oncologists say that there are no adverse outcomes, if it is done within 90 days.
Has anyone here had a gap of 9 weeks of more between surgery and starting chemo? What did your oncologists tell you about it?
±I had my mastectomy and axillary clearance 13 October. For various reasons, my first chemotherapy wasn’t till 24 December. It all fitted within the 90 day recommendation and it never occurred to me to doubt my oncologist. If he didn’t see it as a problem, I’m not going to worry about what are, after all, simply statistics. It’s hardly in his interests to put a patient at risk! Given how different we all are, it can’t be possible to guarantee that someone who starts chemotherapy within 31 days will fare any better than someone who waits a while. My oncologist did tell me the statistical difference and it was negligible. Having said that, the statistical difference between having chemotherapy and radiotherapy or just radiotherapy wasn’t spectacularly different! I was not emotionally strong enough to face chemotherapy initially and I think I have benefitted from that delay because my oncology team have done so much to support me that I’ve now been able to approach the chemotherapy without terror.
As a master of freaking out, I’d say it’s not worth the energy. Try to focus on your emotional wellbeing and physical health while you have this respite because they are going to play a far more important role in the coming months. I do hope it goes well for you.
My first clinical oncology appointment isn’t till 9 weeks after surgery, so I still don’t know if I will have chemo or not. Surgical consultant and BCN not giving any guidance either, avoiding the issue when asked, just saying I need to discuss it with oncologist. Feels like they all know the answer but nobody wants to tell me or speed up the appointment.
Nobody in my team seems concerned about the length of wait time! However I am as it is affecting some decisions we need to make as a family , but powerless to do anything. Phone calls haven’t made a blind bit of difference.