follow up care after being "released"

I was DCIS, Grade 1 as well. I had a BMX w/no reconstruction, no rads. I have not had scan since my BMX on 1/11/11. I was realeased to my family doctor who would show me how to basically do my own chest exam. I don't know if not getting reconstruction has anything to do with not getting any scans or not. I don't have a gyno since I had my ovares and tubes removed as well as a total hysterectomy.

hmm.. i am confused.   I had DCIS and LCIS.  Had a BMX in April.  I had no nodal involvement and the BS said my chances of recurrance are pretty much zero.  My understanding is that my MRIs are to check on the implants vs. breast cancer-- since there is essentially no chance i will get cancer again and, because DCIS is by its nature, non-invasive, there is no risk to chest wall? 

I had an oncology appointment today so that I could better understand my pathology report and dx. It is my understanding re my dx that there is a 1% chance of bc returning. I was told that most likely, if it retuned, it would be on the skin and not the chest wall. I need to speak with my BS re MRI depending on my recon decision. /p>

I know of a woman who had DCIS and it came back in the scar on her chest (she may have had a small lump). You are lucky you have someone watching you every six months. I know that I have read about two or three women that I have read about that had DCIS and came back (now if they had a micro-invasion, I don't know, they stated they had DCIS).I have been forgotten. I just feel my own chest now. I asked my surgeon what I would need, thinking that I would need ultrasounds maybe, but she said just have my primary dr. show me how to check out my chest. Thinking back to that, THAT should have been HER job, seeing she deals with breast surgeries.

I have wondered and posted here and there what other women who had DCIS and got mastectomies and no reconstruction had for follow up care.

After my lump surgery and balloon radiation I was released immediately by surgeon  I will be followed every 6 months by radiation dr and also by oncologist for 5 years.  My rad dr is so good I do not feel I need my oncologist but she said I did.  I have had my first followup which was mamo and blood work.  Everything is a ok.

My friend was diagnosed with DCIS, had a MX, no rads or chemo and a year later had a recurrance, this time IDC and with nodal involvement... This spurred me on to get an MRI, even though all doctors said they don't do it for monitoring.. But I asked, and they ordered it for me. I asked that they look at the chest, nodes and skin.

My friend had a UMX and yes, it was on that side... she said you could see the lump... and that was less than 18 months after diagnosis... Do realize that she had a scattered effect DCIS, hence the reason she had a MX rather than lumpectomy... I guess they missed some?? For me, I plan to have an MRI yearly. As long as insurance pays, I can't see any reason not to... Its an afternoon per year.

Bdavis- I am wondering whether your friend who had DCIS, then recurrence. Do you know if she was ER/PR+?



Malleycat- I went to oncologist so that I could get more specifics. She advised me to return in 6 months simply for breast exam. This makes me feel better.

I don't think she was ER+ because I don't recall her talking about Tamoxifen... I know that her first diagnosis she was Her2- and the 2nd was Her2+.. so recurrance or new primary??