monitoring after treatment
monitoring after treatment Hi,
This is my first time on the forum. Could someone please tell me how I will be monitored after treatment? Scans etc? This is my 3rd diagnosis - this time it took 2 months for them to do needle test, (just had clear mammogram first) then after suspicious results the consultant told me that I did not have bc. After biopsy changed his mind but refused to let me see onc. (Had 2nd op 8 yrs ago and never seen an onc - was about to be discharged).Couldn’t give me a date for necessary liver/bone scans so had to go private. Had op - 15/16 nodes positive - still refused to let me see onc - so had to get GP to refer me privately. Now having chemo - FEC + tax but haven’t been given a definite answer as to how I’ll be monitored later. They don’t know whether the c. is a new primary or a secondary or where it is. I feel so let down this time, have asked to change consultatnt.
chrissied
Helpline Dear Chrissied
Please feel free to contact our confidential freephone helpline number for more information and support regarding the queries you have about continued monitoring, the helpliners will also be able to advise you about how you can access further professional advice in your area .
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Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Chrissie So sorry you’ve had yet another diagnosis. I can’t believe how obstructive your consultant has been. With so many positive nodes chemo was inevitable and it’s totally unacceptable that you weren’t referred to the onc at once. I’m glad that your chemo has started and wish you every success with it.
As far as your question about monitoring is concerned, the answer seems to be that it depends on your hospital’s policy. Given that this is your 3rd cancer, I would hope that the monitoring will be thorough, but can’t say what form it might take. From reading the forums for the past 18 months, it seems that practice varies hugely from one hospital or NHS trust to another.
In my case, I had a recurrence (under the lymph node clearance scar)18 months ago, 7 years after my first diagnosis. I chose to have a mastectomy and am now on Arimidex. My regular 6 monthly follow-up has consisted of a thorough physical examination, including listening to my lungs, and so far one mammogram of my remaining breast, but no scans. I will be moving soon and my subsequect follow-up will be back at the hospital where I was treated for my first cancer. I’ll be interested to see whether their procedure will be different now from what I had first time round.
Good luck
Kathy
chrissie can’t beleieve that your consultant could be so damaging- of course you should change him-he’s supposed to be doing you good!
You’ll certainly get monitored during and after chemo.
Then when the appts get further apart remember that the breast care nurse is your gateway to everything that needs looking at pronto.
Hope you get a good C this time- was it your surgeon? My complaint is always that he surgeons roll up their sleeves and go into action while the oncs sit on their hands- all hospitals different!
Best wishes, dilly
Chrissie,
I’m so sorry that you’ve had such an awful time with your consultant. Thank goodness you’ve done the right thing and asked to see someone else. And if you’re not happy about anything s/he says or does, ask for a referral to a Centre of Excellence, then your hospital will have to follow whatever treatment plan they come up with for you.
In terms of follow-up, as they don’t know much about your recurrence at this stage, I should think that you will have scans to try and establish what they are dealing with. If no scans are forthcoming, you should get stroppy about it and insist that they are necessary. Or get a relative or friend to get stroppy on your behalf. I have recently had a recurrence which was treated with radiotherapy and a change in hormone therapy and have had 3 CT scans at an interval of around 3 months each. My next one will be in approx. 6 months. In the meantime, I know that should I have any problems, I can contact my BC nurse straight away and she’ll get an appointment arranged for me asap.
Hope that helps. My very best wishes for your treatment and a better experience this time round,
Mel
monitoring after treatment Thanks for all your good wishes. Have had 3 FEC and have been really well - apart from infections! start taxotere next week. In the past follow-up has just been annual mammogram and examination but hope that scans will be done this time as mammograms just don’t seem to go right under the arm - nothing showed up this time even with 15 nodes +. Had mastectomy+ reconstr 8 years ago and worry now about what’s going on under the implant. Anyway, I’ll try to stay positive. Good luck to everyone.
chrissied