First appt with Rad and Med Onc. , questions ??

Hi rosierosie!

Think you must have a mistake with your surgery date. (It's only March 16, 2016 today...April 4th won't be for a couple of weeks!) Maybe March 4th?

You may also be confusing Stage (DCIS is always Stage 0) and Grade, which identifies how different the cells are from normal and how quickly they divide. Grade would be 1, 2 or 3, but the Stage would remain zero. Even with DCIS (Stage 0) radiation might be recommended for you. It was for me. Stage 0, Grade 3.

About your costs, call your radiation oncologist's office and ask for an appointment with their insurance/billing person, so that you can clearly understand what your costs will be and how and when they will expect any payment from you.

Depending on your costs to-date (for surgery, diagnosis and testing) you may be getting close to your annual "maximum out-of-pocket costs." Many insurance policies pay 100% once you've paid your maximum out of pocket costs. So it's possible that your costs for radiation (and other treatments this year) will be minimal. But the doctor's office should be able to help you sort out what you can expect. If you'll be having an appointment with them, ask what they would like you to bring: your insurance cards, the book describing your benefits, etc.

HTH,

LisaAlissa

RosieRosie, your grammar is fine. The only reason I corrected you was to clarify what we're talking about.

Your report has lots of good things in it!

Low grade nuclear=cells that aren't dividing fast.

Rare microcalcifications=not very many microcalcifications. Microcalcifications were described to me as the skeletons of dead cancer cells, typically killed because they crowded themselves to death! For you to have not very many microcalcifications is a good thing!

Because your tumor is estrogen positive (that is, fed by estrogen), you might be able to treat it with an anti-estrogen drug, although if it is only 1% that may affect whether your MO will suggest such a drug. Tamoxifen is the only approved drug for pre-menopausal women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (although it can also be used by the post-menopausal). Aromatase Inhibitors are drugs that can only be used for post-menopausal women.

You should take someone with you to the initial appointments with both the RO and the MO (and perhaps record those consultations as well). You'll want to find out all you can about why they each suggest the treatments they discuss with you. The benefit the treatment would offer, potential side-effects, etc.

Each cancer treatment center will handle its billing however it likes (as long as it works for the insurers as well). It might be a single price for the entire series of radiation. Or it might be separate amounts for each treatment. You'll want to discuss that with your RO.

HTH,

LisaAlissa