Confused! Process after Diagnosis!

Debbelle

My male relative, who I am caregiver for, was just diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Grade 3, with Focal Squamous Differentiation. His PCP sent us to a surgeon, who ordered the biopsy. When seeing the surgeon today for the follow-up, he said that it is hormone receptor positive and said that they are still waiting for the HER 2 results, but, scheduled the surgery for May 30th - saying that a couple of weeks won't make any difference. He said that he would send him to an oncologist after the surgery. After we left the surgeon, I called an oncologist to get another opinion, but, they said that the doctor I wanted him to see had no openings until the end of May, and that was too long to wait. They said, with that kind of diagnosis, he needs to see someone within the next 5 days! (Much different response than the surgeon's and his office.)
Consequently......I am REALLY confused! Can someone help me out here? What am I not understanding? When someone has a cancer like this - do they usually go to a surgeon or an oncologist to figure out the best treatment plan? And, what do you do if there is such a difference in what they are saying about how urgent it is? On the side: I was supposed to go on a (extremely important) 4 week trip. Now, I don't know what to do!

Artista928

Welcome. First, take a breath. After diagnosis, I was sent to the breast surgeon who looked at my chart and did an exam on me. He wanted more detail of my lump so he ordered MRI. Once he had all the info gathered, it came time to schedule sx (surgery). Onc is the chemo expert. After the sx he will have a path report which will give more detail and finalize his #s so to speak. The final path report after sx is what to go by because before then, it can be just a pretty good guess.

After I recovered from sx and a couple of issues, I met my onc who I had researched ahead of time while waiting for sx. She looked at my sx path report and came up with a treatment plan for me.

Some people's type or size of cancer require chemo first then sx. Most of us have sx then chemo.

As for the wait, even though it's grade 3, a few weeks doesn't make much of a diff. Whoever said should be within 5 days to me sounds like maybe someone, not the onc, overreacting. If it was that vital which I can't imagine how they'd come up with 5 as the magic #, they would work you in. I was dx'd 6/2 and had to wait for my surg and plastic surg schedule to match, so it was 2 months. I had the same concern, the time, get this thing out asap or it'll get worse. It won't unless you let it go months.

Hope this has calmed you down some. I know the panic when the tumour is still in you.

As for your trip, are you it for helping him?