How many years of followups are necessary?

Think you are good to go. Congrats!

I'm 2 years out now (lump+rads, no tamox) and am just seen by my bs once/year, directly after my diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. 

Working in a cancer center and with my own doctors, breast cancer is not like other cancers, that a 5 year follow is the norm, not for breast cancer, I would still have a follow up for years to come for also a DCIS.

Breast cancer can come back after many years and in any place of the body, I see my oncologist once a year, same with my surgeon, they are the same that treated me.

I am 20 years from DX, and was reading on one of the post a lady had a recurrence, it was same type after 19 years.

I have also seen at work , patients coming back with recurrences after several years, but because they had a very good follow up, all cancers were caught early.

I had biopsies doen 10 years from my diagnosis when I had microcalcifications in my chest wall, they were removed.

I have the same question as Blinx...what are all of these follow-ups for?  I understand getting 6 month mamograms, but doesnt the radiologist usually read them?  What additional would a BS, RO or any other doctor do to detect the cancer?

I've wondered the very same thing. I'm three years out from surgery (DCIS grade 3, lumpectomy), followed by seven weeks of full-breast radiation, and almost three years on Arimidex. When I see the radiation oncologist (twice a year for the past three years and I negotiated it down to once a year now), all they do is ask what meds I'm taking, take my temperature and blood pressure, then the doctor gives a two-minute breast exam and listens to my heart. Then I'm told to keep having six-month mammograms.

I asked how long I'd have to go back to the radiation oncologist and was told once a year for the  REST OF MY LIFE. But other people I know haven't been told this!

Beesie, are you out there?

I was told by my BS that he would follow up with me forever. It sounds like this is not the norm for DCIS. He has me on a high risk screening schedule (extensive family history, but BRCA neg.) with alternating MRI's and mammos every 6 months followed by visits with him and ultrasounds if needed. In addition, I am still seeing the MO every 6 months although I have declined tamoxifen. With this schedule, I am having a clinical breast exam every 3 months. (I sometimes think they are following me too closely.) The RO released me about 4 months after I finished radiation; actually he gave me the choice of continuing follow-ups with him or not. I chose not to -- I hated everything about radiation and was glad not to return.

I just had my 6 month visit to my MO this past week.

I also see my BS once a year, when I asked her why and for how long, she said forever unless I chose not to see her.  I am on aromasin and have 2 years remaining on my 5 years, not sure if my followups will change when I end the meds.

I am not fighting the followups and feel it is best to have someone checking on me, DCIS is nasty little things and I want to be sure that they do no show up elsewhere.  I have only this past year gone from 6 month to yearly mamos again.

 As long as I have health insurance to cover, I will follow the plan

BS is breast surgeon? Why would anyone need to see a BS after the surgery?

When I go for my 3 month followups at the Cancer Center they test my blood for something that tells them about the cancer margins?  I don't remember what they called it right now.

For DCIS follow-up should be for the rest of your life.  The reasons are:

1. DCIS can recur after a very long time, unlike some aggressive invasive breast cancers that will usually recur within a few years if they are going to recur at all.  Our risk is lower than many of our sisters but there is no reason to be relieved at 3 years or 5 years or whatever.

2. If DCIS does recur it will usually start with a local recurrence in the breast, whether the recurrence is DCIS or invasive.  Finding it early gives us a very good chance of treating it and having a very good prognosis even though it recurred.  Unfortunately if some more aggressive breast cancers do recur they will probably recur in the nodes or more distant locations.  The benefit of catching it early is still real for DCIS patients.

The questions for DCIS follow-up revolve around what doctors should you follow-up with, how often, and what is sufficient follow-up.  Do you need the medical oncologist, breast surgeon, radiation oncologist, gynecologist, PCP?  That seems like too many doctors!  I think most of us would drop some of those, but it may depend less on the specialty than circumstances (e.g. one left the original practice) or the quality of your relationship with each particular doctor.  What tests do we need?  ...mammograms, MRI, blood work?  Those recommendations seem to be all over the board.

At 2.5 years out I am seeing the med onc every 6 months because I am on tamoxifen, the rad onc once a year, and the gynecologist once a year.  The breast surgeon left the practice soon after my treatment was done and I have not looked for another.  I now get mammos and blood work once a year.

I was told I will see my breast surgeon forever, once a year. DCIS double mastectomy, no chemo, no rads.

Then I also still see my gyn, so every 6 months, the area is looked at...but I wonder if there should be any MRI's? what is the situation after a double mastectomy?

I've been told I will have five years of follow up, every 6 months and a yearly mammogram. However I will only be 41 by the time I come out of that programme. At that point Ive already decided I will be paying for mammo's myself, because here in the UK the mammo screening programme on the NHS doesnt start until you are in your early fifties. So I'm not taking that chance!

Dmh-- my BS said that it is not possible to get all the breast tissue- only approx 90%. She recommends mammograms with mriyou yearly so if there is anything brewing in any left over tissue she can act on it ASAP. Mammos can also pick up nodes and surrounding tissue. She alsocan does breastthe exams every 6 months. Once again I think it comes down to what you are comfortable with. I am a self proclaimed worry wart and this close follow up helps me sleep at night.