Diagnosis to surgery - how long

Mantra · June 2011

How long did it take for you to have surgery after you were diagnosed? My sister has IDC with lymph node involvement. It's been over a month since she was diagnosed, but she has yet to receive a surgical date. It is likely to be early July . . . two months after her initial diagnosis. We have done everything in our power to get the surgical date moved up but it is not going to happen. Changing hospitals will cause even further delays (we checked). She is currently with a major cancer centre.

Is two months an unreasonable time to wait? I had DCIS and had two surgeries with one month.(lumpectomy with small margins followed by a mastectomy).

Her ultrasound showed nothing 6 months ago and now it is large and in her lymph nodes so it is growing quickly. I feel the hospital is being irresponsible but perhaps two months is not unusual. How long was your wait?

ktab96 · June 2011

I just asked the same question. I was formally diagnosed on May 23 and I have no surgery date. Since my diagnosis i have been visity doctors and having more tests and revisiting doctors. My appointments keep getting rescheduled by the doctors' office. I have found equipment will break down, appointments will be rescheduled. I have an appointment with the surgeon this Thursday (this is the third rescheduled date) and in the meantime..... I have this thing in my breast. It is very frustrating.

sflow · June 2011

I have heard you don't have to hurry a lot--but I was very lucky--my surgery was scheduled a week after my diagnosis. You can post a question to Lillian Shockney on Ask an Expert on the home page of this site. She is an oncological nurse and 2 times BC survivor and is very knowledgeable.

suzanneinphoenix · June 2011

I received my diagnosis on June 28th, 2010. I had my surgery July 22nd, 2010. I already had a breast surgeon, and had booked my appointment with her after I got the call that I needed additional views. I think that might have expedited things a little bit. I am sure they are quite busy since she is going to a good facility. Just keep telling everyone to put her on a cancellation list, in case they can move the surgery. I know it is so hard waiting......

juli0212 · June 2011

I was referred to a surgeon the day that I had my mammogram and had the biopsy done right then and there, so they knew how bad it was (against chest wall)...so my dx was end of May 2006, surgery was in June, not good margins, so second surgery (partial mastectomy of the right breast) July (re-incision)--good margins. Chemo began August 2006. This was quick.

If this were me, I'd be asking for an appt. with a breast surgeon, she/he can get the results and go from there? That's just me, for all of you who have not heard and you have a bc diagnosis...you deserve answers. GOOD LUCK and best to you all. ~juli

juli0212 · June 2011

I can't seem to edit my posts...I see the original poster is from Canada, does that make a difference in wait times? Is your sister in Canada? I know with lymph involvement here, the protocol is definite chemo AND radiation, so seems they'd want to get going on that, especially since it's growing. I wish you all the best, don't know what else to suggest, other than to keep bugging the doctors/surgeon? ((HUGS)) ~juli

Letlet · June 2011

I was diagnosed 8/27 and my surgery was 9/30. I couldn't stand the 1 month wait either, had to ask for Ambien. BUT it turned out to be helpful to me because, I was able to mentally and emotionally say "goodbye" to my left breast in the days and weeks leading up to the surgery. I was also able to use that time to decide between a bilateral mastectomy and a unilateral and reseach my reconstruction options as well. Look at some pictures privately and also together with my husband.

starbeauty · June 2011

13 days... To MX

Mantra · June 2011

Thanks for your quick replies. Just to clear up some confusion, she has already seen the breast surgeon. She has another appointment with her on June 15 and will be given her surgical date at that appointment but has been told it will likely be in early July (two months after being diagonosed). She is on a cancellation list. And yes, she is Canada (Toronto).

We have done everything we possibly can, but they won't budge.. Meanwhile, she's living with cancer in her nodes while they take their sweet time. Even though it's a major cancer centre, I find their actions to be irresponsible. We honestly don't know what else to do. Has anyone ever called their hospital's Patient Advocate? If so, did it help?

debbsie · June 2011

I was diagnosed in mid-March and just now getting scheduled for surgery at the end of June - over 3 months. A couple of those weeks were taken by my decision to get another opinion and change doctors. However, it was well worth it I believe. The doctor I chose ran me through a battery of tests and 5 more biopsies to determine the extent of the cancer before proceeding with surgery. I believe if I had not switched doctors, I would have rushed into surgery and ended up either going through multiple surgeries, or worse, not finding out there was more cancer until sometime in the future.

Patience is definitely the biggest challenge so far in my journey.

All the best.

juli0212 · June 2011

mantra: Maybe when your sister sees the surgeon on June 15th, obviously I know she'll ask when her surgery date is, but also WHAT type of surgery? My surgeon had a booklet where she went thru all the options I could decide on, and didn't have to decide then and there, so there was no hurry, but I decided right then and there anyway (lumpectomy, there's no guarantee there will be clear margins anyway, so yes, a second surgery was needed to get clear margins, hence a partial mastectomy). Hoping that she gets all the info she needs to make an informed decision the 15th. Best~~juli

mdg · June 2011

YOu can see my stats below. I was diagnosed on Dec 12th and had a sentinel node biopsy on 12/23 because it was xmas week and no one wanted surgery (my surg on had open OR time so I took it). I knew I wanted a BLMX and I did not get that until 1/27. It is not uncommon for it to take 2 months from DX to get surgery.

DiDel · June 2011

My cancer center has a motto "no more sleepless nights"..being that they get you in a soon as possible to lessen the stress. I had Mammo, US and biospy same day 11/09; I was diagnosed 11/12 saw my BS 11/14 (a saturday I still love him for that) had MRI 12/2 and UMX 12/23. the only reason I had to wait that long was my bs went out of the country for two weeks. I was his very first surgery of the day when he returned! The Cancer Center does have a patient advocate but they mostly fight the insurance company for you on getting test done and I never had to ask them to do it they were like my personal assistant that handled evreything on my behalf without stressing me out over it.

My BS also prescribed ATIVAN for my anxiety and it was a God sent!

Good luck to your sister and you along her journey. Wishing her a speedy surgery and recovery!

Diane

ScienceGirl · June 2011

My diagnosis was 11/17 and my BMX on 11/30 ( it would have been 11/23 if it weren't for Thanksgiving) I had my screening mammo, diagnostic mammo / ultrsound and core biopsies in 1 week. My gyno is married to the my breast surgeon so that helped to grease the wheels. I also knew exactly what surgery I wanted - I knew for years that I would have a BMX due to my Mom's cancer experience, so I didn't need time to decide / come to terms.

Hang in there, waiting is the hard part. I feel lucky that things moved quickly, better for mental health!! Good luck to you both

Kim

suelynn · June 2011

my mom had her diagnosis and UMX all in the same week... things were changing that quickly, they wasted no time (she had clinical signs of IBC). she is at the mayo clinic and for follow up... scan in the morning and results in the afternoon. i can't imagine the wait. i'm sorry you are running into that... for me, i would keep calling.

good luck

sue

jc3win · June 2011

June 15, 2009 diagnosis and July 2, 2009 uni-mx with delayed reconstruction. I started chemo 2 weeks later. The waiting was the worst - I just wanted to get the cancer OFF of me. I completely understand your concern over the 2 months.

CoolBreeze · June 2011

Dx'd August 09

Mastectomy October 09

Chemo December 09

Finished Chemo March 10

Finished Herceptin December 10.

hopeful34 · June 2011

I was dx'd on April 9th and had my BMX on May 21st. I was told by my breast surgeon, that it takes a long time for the tumor to grow, so waiting a couple months is no big deal. I didn't have lymph node involvement though, so I would think they might speed things up a little for her.

juli0212 · June 2011

About how long a tumor takes to grow: Mammogram in 2005 absolutely normal, mammogram one year later 2006, 1.6cm tumor against chest wall, not palpable. If I skipped that year's mammogram the tumor would've gone right to my lungs and had already spread to lymphs. These tumors can grow VERY fast. My breast surgeon and oncologist said my biopsy showed rapidly developing cells. Same with the benign tumor removed in 2004 in other breast. It was benign, but also showed rapidly developing cells, would've turned malignant if not caught. One never knows...I keep VERY close track of all my health tests/labs/appts., and I am mostly the one asking for various info/tests. ASK QUESTIONS...over and over...it's YOUR health (or your sister's in this case). ~juli

coraleliz · June 2011

I was diagnosed in late Feb, had surgery early Apr. Too slow for me.

Mantra · June 2011

The most frustrating part of this is the fact that we were told surgery would be the first week of June. She was referred to that hospital strictly because of that statement. The referral was faxed over immediately following the phone call.

They lied and there's not a darn thing we can do about it. We can't understand why the surgeon's secretary chose to lie, but this is a question that will be asked. Likely the surgeon isn't aware of this statement was made but the bottom line is she should be held accountable for her staff statements.

I have looked up the phone number for the patient advocate and will be calling them tomorrow. I won't give my sister's name but I will ask general questions to see what they are all about. As well, my son-in-law is a lawyer and I want to see if the secretary's original statement can be considered a legal, verbal contract and if so, what can be done to ensure they honor this contract.

klucyg · June 2011

I'm so sorry for the anxiety and hope this gets resolved very quickly. I was diagnosed on 4/26/11 and had a lumpectomy on 5/4/11. Just this week I finished partial breast radiation with the SAVI catheter. I had my port for chemo inserted yesterday and have my first chemo treatment on 6/14/11. So things progressed very rapidly for me.

Mantra · June 2011

As thought, there is no legal obligation on the part of the hospital to perform the surgery on the week as promised. I also called the Patient Advocate department of the hospital and it doesn't seem like they will be much help either.

Mantra · June 2011

I mentioned to some of you that I wrote an email for my sister and told her to forward it to the BS secretary as if it was written by her. The email explained her position, her expectations and how she feels the hospital has failed her. She sent it over the weekend and ever since, things have moved very quickly.

She met with the BS today who apologized profusely for the delay in surgery. As well, the secretary came in and apologized. Then they told her surgery will be tomorrow morning. Right now she's running around to the different departments getting all the pre-op tests; blood, chest x-ray etc etc. She also needs a bone scan but the surgeon said it will be done after the surgery because she doesn't want to have any further delays.

Let's hope they haven't caused irreparable damage. The MRI she just had done showed the tumour has grown over the past month, but tests show that it is in one lymph node rather than the two they originally thought. Regardless, they are going to take about 15 lymph nodes.

Thanks for all your help, suggestions and concern.

Allenan · June 2011

Hi Mantra:

All the best to your sister. Glad she is having the surgery. Think good thoughts. The best thing you can do is be an advocate for her and if something does not seem right, go with your gut and ask questions.

I was diagnosed on April 18th and had my surgery on May 20th. They I had to have a re-excision on June 8th. Currently, I am waiting for the results an my Oncotype

LuLu2011 · June 2011

Wishing your sister all the best. My surgery was 2 weeks after diagnosis. Still waiting for path report from nodes.

tpcjkk · June 2011

I felt like I waited a long time between diagnosis and surgery, too. I was 43 days in between. Good luck to your sister.

merovingian · June 2011

Something must be going right at this end of the world - my wife's first surgery (only lumpectomy) was just 6 days after diagnosis. I think they tried to jump all over it because it seemed like it had been caught very early. Unfortunately margins weren't clear, so there'll be more surgery.

Diagnosis to surgery - how long

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