How long follow up care?

mittmott

I'm 9 years out of my second stage 1 cancer. I had a bilateral mast, when I developed a second cancer in the same breast 6 years after the first round. I originally had a lumpectomy and radiation. Small, stage 1.... 6 years later I had a second cancer in the same breast, so I had a mast. I opted for a bilateral. Not much testing done on tumor due to size, it was mostly dcis this time with a microinvasion. The first time was a small tumor idc. No other treatment. I was taken off tamaxofin the first time because I was considered high risk, and I got cancer while on it for a year, so onc said tam. wasn't right for me. After the second round of cancer still no tamoxafin for the same reason as per onc. Onc set me loose right away, said she didn't need to see me since I was on nothing. When I spoke to my reg. MD, he disagreed, and had me see a local onc once a year, just to be on the safe side. This new local onc took me on, and she examines me once a year and runs blood work. I was in the survivorship program at the cancer center, and saw them once a year for a physical check. Now after the 9th year, they cut me loose, and said I could follow up with my reg. MD, or gynecologist. They said I didn't need to be monitored by them anymore.I'm happy about not having to drag myself to the city for that once a year, but I also feel like ok, who"s watching me. My gynecologist doesn't know me well, my original one retired... I do see her once a year though... I guess I will keep going to the onc once a year as a second set of eyes. Is this the norm, that the breast surgeons stop seeing mast. patients after a certain amount of years? I thought it was for life, as a cancer patient.I guess it's scary to be cut loose.. I feel like I lost a second set of eyes.

coraleliz

I will continue to see my BS once a year. After I stop Tamoxifen there will be no reason for me to continue to see my MO. I don't plan on going another 5 years with endocrine therapy. MO is retiring anyway & I really don't want to get to know another.

A friend of mine with DCIS, declined Tamoxifen, so her MO had no reason to follow her. She is followed yearly by her RO.