When do they count from?

Public Archive
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This has probably been covered somewhere else in another thread that I’ve not found… apologies for covering old ground!

Question: When people talk about being 3, 4, 5 years post-bc, do they count it from diagnosis, surgery or the end of treatment? A year ago yesterday I finished my treatment, however, I was diagnosed April '07, with surgery early May '07. I believe that 5 years is a significant number for those with triple negative bc, like me, so when am I counting from?

AliS

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i always count from the day of diagnosis. i don’t know what others do.So I am nearly a year from diagnosis (Feb14th 2008)

Rach

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Hi AliS

I asked my oncologist that question recently and he told me they count it from the date the operation - mine was Nov 21st 2007 so just over a year ago.
Ruby

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I guess it makes sense to count from the date of surgery, because that’s when they have removed the cancer (I hope), although I still think it may be from the end of your last treatment (I had chemo and rads)… So I’m either, I’m 20 months on :slight_smile: or only a year :frowning: Roll on the 5 year mark!!!

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Hi again Ali

I had chemotherapy first and then my operation so i think that for me it makes sense that it’s from the date of the operation but it may be different if you had the op first and other treatment after.

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Can one of the nurses on here give us a answer to this one I wonder. as it’s something I’d like to know too.

Karen x

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Hi everyone, this is a good question to ask. I had chemo first which ended in may 08 then lumpectomy and rads which ended in sept 08 so knowing when to count from would be useful. Also i am due yearly mammograms so when should i be due one?? Just in case i do not hear from dr and need to chase them up!!

Sarah x

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I was told it was from the day of surgery. However, in my case I had 2 surgeries as they thought the lump was just a fibroid (there was a tumour underneath) and I had further surgery 3 weeks later to take out my lymph nodes.

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Hi Sarah

I was told by my surgeon last week that you have your first Mammmogram, 1 year after all treatment has finished, so according to that you will be looking at Sept 09. However I also believe that different Health authorities are different.

Sarah X

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I think different Health Authorities do have very different criteria. I will be having my first mammogram 1 year after my surgery date which will be June this year. I live in Kent, so it’s obviously dependant on where you live - as with so many of these decisions!

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I had my first mammogram practicaly a year to the week I was dx.

Karen

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Hi
I was told first mammogram would be two years after operation.
Sherbert
x

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I think it probably differs across the country, my first mammogram was a year after my dx/operation.

Karen

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Trying to get to grips with new website…Has this question been answered?..think alot of us would like to know.

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I was told by my consultant they start counting from the day of your op- which suited me fine as I was nearly a year further down the line than I thought I was!

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I was first diagnosed in December 2000 but didn’t have surgery til July 2001 following chemo. I still have annual check ups with the oncology team and last July when I asked the doctor how much longer would I need to go she said they like to see you for 10 years so hopefully not long to go now …

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I’m not sure this really matters?

Either you get a recurrence or you don’t. Cancer doesn’t count the niceties of a month here or there.

I always count from my diagnosis as I had chemo before surgery so it was 5 months between.

Jane

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Asked my BCN, who admitted she didn’t know the answer but suggested that it is probably counted from the time once surgery, chemo’ and rad’s have finished.

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Last night I had my fourth check up and this is one of the questions which I asked - just because I wanted to know.
According to the reg. from the surgical team, its from the end of treatment, excluding drugs which people might be on for 5 years.
So in my case from the end of rads which will be one year next Friday - but am I counting!
Have a good day everyone.
M x

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I was told it is from the surgery - so for me that is two years next month. But if it is from end of treatment, I finished herceptin in December, so I am only 2 months on! Big difference.