Radation Oncologist after Rads??

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etnasgrl
etnasgrl Member Posts: 650
edited January 2016 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I know that I will see my MO for a long time being on Tamoxifen and for follow ups. I also know that I'll be seeing my surgical oncologist every 6 months for mammograms for the first 2 years as she already told me that when she shipped me off to the MO.

But what about the RO? Once Rads are done, is there any follow up care with the RO or do you mainly stick with the MO and surgical oncologist? Anyone know?

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  • 123JustMe
    123JustMe Member Posts: 385
    edited May 2016
    Hi Etnasgirl,
    I have follow up with my RO. 1st follow up was 3 months after rads finished and I know I have a follow up in July. He is also the MD that ordered my 1st diagnostic Mammo after treatment. I am not sure what the ASCO guidelines are.
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  • Jenwith4kids
    Jenwith4kids Member Posts: 635
    edited January 2016

    My RO "released" me after my one year check. She said there as no need for her to see me again.

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited January 2016

    I see my RO, but that's probably going to end after my next visit Right now I alternate every 3 months between my RO and my MO. I saw my MO last week and she said in June I will be monitored every 6 months instead of every 3. I asked if I will still see my RO - she said it's my choice. I can see him every 6 months or her or alternate. I love my RO, but I love my MO just a tiny bit more (and she's a woman - yes, that makes a difference to me lol) so I'm just going to see her every 6 months. I don't see my surgeon, but if I needed to I could schedule an appointment

    Nancy

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited January 2016

    Just had my three-month followup with my RO. Next visit: September (i.e. the one-year point after finishing rads), and I suspect that'll be the last for me, if I'm still NED. Which I expect to be.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited January 2016

    My RO released me after rads ended.

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited January 2016

    Sort of like a "hot potato" ..

    Singing

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  • etnasgrl
    etnasgrl Member Posts: 650
    edited January 2016

    Thanks for the answers. It sounds like the RO is not a long-term relationship.

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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited January 2016

    I'm still seeing my RO each 6 months. He said he would see me until 5 years after the end of radiation. Not quite 4 years from end of radiation treatment. I keep going for two reasons. He gives me the best breast exam by far and his nurse measures my arms for LE. Also, issues from radiation can pop up years later.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited January 2016

    I released myself after rads were finished, even with an oozing, open radiation wound. No one was doing a thing for me there, and the empathy factor was non-existent. I see my MO every three months and absolutely love her. She saved my life.

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited January 2016

    I am 7 years out and was released almost immediately by my BS after my post surgical check up, saw the RO and MO at 3 month, then 6 month intervals and now still see both annually. When there was an anomaly on a mammo - my BS stepped right in, but then backed off when all was ok - which was very reassuring. My initial presentation was unusual - lump not seen on mammography, but then on ultrasound - which is why for first 5 years I alternated mammo and mri-ordered by the RO but shared with the MO. My MO still sees me even though I was taken off of tamoxifen at 4.5 years due to endometrial cancer. I do have a concern that I will be bringing up with the MO when I see him next week. My BS has retired early due her own health issues and if/when something does require a surgeon's opinion - I don't have her to fall back on any more. I will have to choose someone and be their new patient.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited January 2016

    My Surgeon was the first to 'kick me to the curb'. The next was my Rads Dr months after the last scabs came off my burns 4 mths after last rad. My chemo Dr went to a much larger facility later.. They all said that they were comfortable (so am I) with me seeing my PA every 6 months.

    We are all unique so there is no 'On Size Fits All' as to what is the best for us individually.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited January 2016

    My RO conditionally released me (I would need to see him if my seroma hasn’t shrunk appreciably at 6 mos. post-rads--my LE therapist says she feels it’s already beginning to). My BS wants to see me (and get a followup mammo) at 1 yr, not 6 mos.--and it would be with her NP unless something’s amiss. I assume I will be seeing my MO for at least 5 yrs., unless I’m one of the “lucky” ones for whom 10 yrs. of AI therapy is recommended.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited January 2016

    I stopped seeing my RO after my post RADS followup. Maybe a month after I finished RADs? My BS(I see once a year) said that she see's eye to eye with him & that for me to see them both would be redundant. He did tell me that he was "only a phone call away...." should I need to see him in the future. I expect my MO to dismiss me in the fall after I complete 5years on Tamoxifen. At some point all my team members will retire & hopefully I'll be done with all BC related appts.

    Interestingly, a friend has the same MO as me, refused Tamoxifen & was told there was no longer any need him to see her. Her surgeon also discharged her. Now she see's only her RO

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited January 2016

    I could have finished with my RO at 4 months after radiation finished, but my surgeon retired suddenly and my MO is a few hours out of town, so my RO offered to see me in a year, or earlier if I wanted, and said she would help coordinate my care if I needed services closer to home. Very sweet.

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  • Brightsocks
    Brightsocks Member Posts: 159
    edited January 2016

    A question on radiation. It seems if you have a lumpectomy and then radiation does everyone get the same level of radiation treatment? Is this just a standard

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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited January 2016

    I think this is the case unless you cannot tolerate it towards the end. There an amount that there won't exceed. That is partly why we get tattoos, to clearly identify the radiated field.

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  • Manu14
    Manu14 Member Posts: 153
    edited January 2016

    Looks like this all varies a lot. I see my RO every 6 months for the first three years and then once a year for the next two years. She does this because she knows that my sirgeon really has no interest in doing so after the initial post-surgical appointment. She gives better breast exams than anyone else I've ever seen so I don'tmind seeing her. I see my MO every 6 months.

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  • Suz-Q
    Suz-Q Member Posts: 205
    edited January 2016

    My BS is also a general surgeon and said after the lumpectomy I would not see him again. My RO's will follow me for at least a year and my new MO for??? I guess until I'm done with the AI. My nurse navigator is compiling my treatment summary and sending it to all my docs including my PCP. I'm very lucky to have a well coordinated treatment plan

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