After care - how often to see oncologist?

standard follow-up is usually every 3 months for the first year if all is well, then every 4-6 months depending on the doctor for another year or more-then once a year-usually to the 5 year mark.  remember, it isn't just the blood tests, they only show  certain things.  they are looking for subtle signs of problems your pcp wouldn't notice or think of in terms of your cancer history.

i would be more concerned about you not liking your onc -- you need to have a good relationship with your onc so you feel comfortable talking about how you are feeling.  if you don't, something important could be missed early.

good luck

I believe that we and the med. professionals depend too greatly on testing in the first place.  But a  f/u onc. appt is mostly spent talking, with some minor physical exams.  What we are paying for and should demand, is that our onc know us well enough to ask the right questions and hopefully, in routine discussion with us, determine if anything is "off" and needs further investigation or not.

I totally agree with the above: You don't like the doc OR his staff.  What's to encourage you to call with "little" questions or concerns?  Nothing----absolutley nothing.  What's to encourage Him (or his staff) to f/u with You about something you disucssed in the office visit.  Nothing.

May I say; If you don't trust the doc to follow you After diagnosis, what makes you trust him enough to allow him to treat you if (heaven forbid) diagnosed again?  OR, even trust him to find a second breast cancer or mets?

Please reconsider and find a new onc that you feel comfortable with.  Then you'll not be wondering what's "normal" follow up, ----  he/she and you will have already discussed it.  Ya think?

A "breast" exam is not indicated since you don't actually have breasts.  My onc would examine my suture line and underarms and areas around the foob.  that's where any possible breast tissue could have been left, so they are feeling for any change in the tissue.

My actual breast surgeon turned me over to my first ps and never expected to see me again since path report said ER Neg.  I had it redone at another lab and it turned out ER pos. so I chose to go to another university for onc. treatment.

I was seen a year or so later for a scare in the good boob, and this breast surgeon wanted to see me every 3 months for a couple of years and then yearly after my mammo to give me the same results the radiologst did, and a far from satisfactory exam. (for life, I think!)  I finally got tired of going and asked my pcp to be responsible for my mammo orders and f/u.  He's a gen. surgeon and, strangly, does a rather poor breast exam on the good AND bad side.  Since I'm over 7 years out from dx., I just depend on his yearly exam along with a good mammo. 

I feel very comfortable returning or calling my onc if I have any concerns at all tho.  I've not seen him in a couple of years.