Newly diagnosed question(s)

fireweed73

Hello,

 First, thank you for all you share on this site. This forum has been enormously helpful over the past few days.

 My mother was diagnosed less than a week ago, so she (and we) are all pretty consumed with gathering info and trying to figure things out. Next week she is meeting with a few people (doctors), but what we want to know is this:

Sounds like her ILC was caught very early--MRI says only in one breast, Stage 1, low grade, no nodes involved. How long do you think it is wise to take before starting treatment? How long should one take to make a decision regarding a treatment plan? Weeks? Even a month?

Do you feel it is important to have a treatment underway within a certain amount of time? My mom obviously has to arrange her life to make space for treatment--but last night she said her windows for treatment are July in November. It seems to me that waiting until November is waaaay to long to wait. I'm of the mind that treatment should come NOW. Even if the cancer is slow moving and confined, it can still spread, right?

 Also, if anyone can recommend a doc or oncologist in the Houston area it would be much appreciated.

 Thanks for your time.

Anonymous

Even though most cancers are slow growing and have probably been there along time before being detected, 5 months for an invasive bc is too long to wait. Most doctors I think recommend starting treatment within 4 to 6 weeks. I know that my doctor said "waiting a few weeks is OK, but not a few months" (I was leaving on a vacation and needed to have a biopsy for some suspicious findings on mammo--fortunately it turned out to be a non-invasive bc). Your mom is probably still feeling the initial shock of the news---you can help her by encouraging her to get started with treatment and not to put it off too long.

Anne

terricarolyn

So sorry your Mom joined our club.  I waited for 6 weeks between biopsy and surgey---because I chose mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and it took that long to coordinate doctors.   My oncologist said that was the maximum time he would suggest waiting.   Better to disrupt a "schedule" than to wait and find out your nodes were invaded and you are the facing chemotherapy and poorer odds of a successful treatment.  Good luck  and  I encourage your Mom to visit our chatroom here.

hlya

There was 1 month between dx and surgery for me, then it's been another month already after the surgery but I haven't taken any treatment yet, I think 2 months should be fine.

DebeDawn

Hi Fireweed,

Sorry that you are going through this but I have found that this is the place to be for support and information.

I was dx on 08 May and see my surgeon later this morning for a final consultation before my surgery which is tentatively scheduled for next week.  I have a 12cm mass in left breast so will be having a modified radical mas. The last 3 weeks have been taken up with test after test and the time seems to go so slowly as you wait for results.  I urge your mom to change her schedule and deal with this now.  Five months can change things alot.  I also urge you mom to visit the chatroom herself and talk with all the smart ladies here.  As I am also very new to this they have helped me immensely by answering all my questions and calming my fears of the unknown.  I am sure they would do the same for your mom too.