When can you stop seeing an oncologist?

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terrij152
terrij152 Member Posts: 530
edited August 2016 in Stage I Breast Cancer

My sister is 8 years out from her diagnosis and her oncologist said he doesn't have to see her anymore. She had stage 1 breast cancer and needed chemo and a hysterectomy. My mom and I also had BC within a year of each other. I'm the only one with mets, but my sister never to her oncologist about my progression and I think he should have known. Is it normal to be released from an oncologist after 8 years

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2016

    I am stage 1B and I was told on day one by my amazing surgeon not oncologist that he and I were now great friends and that we would remain so for life. I would imagine that oncologists are just dealing with the giving out of treatments like chemo when it is needed and that the surgeon is the guy who your sister would continue to see forever. I am in UK and this seems to be the case. We get checked every few years for rest of life.

    Dolly

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited June 2016

    I will see my oncologist every 3- 6 months until year five (which is coming up!!) with the option to see her yearly thru year ten.

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  • Kathy044
    Kathy044 Member Posts: 433
    edited June 2016
    My files from my RO and MO were turned over to my pcp after finishing radiation and starting on hormone therapy. I saw my doctor for breast exam and any other concerns at least every six months the first five years with diagnostic mammogram annually. I now have annual followup with my doctor and an annual diagnostic mammogram and I've scheduled these so that I'm having one or the other every six months. Works fine for me.

    I'm in British Columbia Canada. I'd read that this was the followup plan in New Zealand for early stage breast cancer too but earlier this year I see that this is happening across the border in USA too. See the announcement about the new survivorship guidelines published Dec 2015

    http://quality.asco.org/asco-and-acs-update-breast-cancer-survivorship-guidelines

    Kathy

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

    Since I will be stopping endocrine therapy at 5years(4 months from now), my BS said she will follow me yearly. I had 1 more visit scheduled with my MO but he will be retiring before that. So, I'm done with oncologists, for now & hopefully forever. My BS told me she would refer me to another MO if the need should arise.

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited June 2016

    Stage 1A here, diagnosed in 2011... I saw my MO every 3 months for the first two years, then twice a year after that.

    Since this year will be my five-years-out, I thought my last visit with her a few months ago would be my last. Turns out her protocol is to follow me for five years following the end of treatment, which in my case was a year and a half after surgery.

    So I get to see her again! Woot! After that, all I need is regular self- or physician-performed breast exams.

    I no longer have to see my MO, but she said she would always be available to me if I wanted to see her.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited June 2016

    my MO will see me for 10 years PFC. I currently see a doctor every three months, rotating between BS, RO, and MO. After a certain amount of time, my BS and RO will drop out of rotation, and I'll just see my MO every 6 months. Over the next 10 years that could change I suppose. All that assumes no recurrence

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  • warrrior3
    warrrior3 Member Posts: 51
    edited June 2016

    I was just D/C'd from my oncologist last Wednesday after 5 1/2 year, having finished Arimidex in December. He was aware my sister died from B/C.

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  • Susie123
    Susie123 Member Posts: 804
    edited June 2016

    I'm six years out now, not on any type of active treatment, but still see the onco once a year. My IDC was stage 1 and also grade 1. The onco said grade 1 is a slow growing lazy cancer so we need to continue with once a year visits.

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2016

    Susie, sounds like you have a very good onco.

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited June 2016

    Hi terri. I think 8 years is sufficient with the MO. However I do think she should be followed by a BS yearly. I also think the docs should be aware of your progression. Be well....

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  • BilateralBeauties
    BilateralBeauties Member Posts: 149
    edited June 2016

    I'll be at five years in August and I'm gearing up to chat about my divorce from my MO. I don't like the stress of these appt.

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  • leftduetostupidmods
    leftduetostupidmods Member Posts: 620
    edited June 2016

    First two years I saw the onc every three months. Then up to 5 years every 6 months. Now I'm seeing him yearly and if something is unusual I may see him in between. He told me the rule of thumb is "if any new pain appears and lasts longer than 2 weeks". Pretty much with me being a chronic pain patient the spine and pain management doctor that I see monthly recommends if it's time to see the onc or not.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited June 2016

    Seachain- That's how my onc operates. The BS will eventually not see me, I think after year 5, PS not sure but won't be forever and since I had BMX getting implants, it's not enough for us to do our own "mammogram." I feel more comfortable not being let go after 5 years which seems to be the popular way. And if I'm doing hormone tx then I'd rather have her check on me yearly since she's the one rx'ing it than my PCP who is less informed because it's not her specialty and tells me to ask my onc about stuff anyway.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited August 2016

    Saw my onc today for the 6 week check after having started Tamox. I asked her how it works with her. She considers me high risk for recurrence (I'm also sedentary and way overweight) so for 4 years counting from dx is every 3 mo, then a couple or so years every 6 mo then annually forever. I asked my bs and he'll actually be seeing me annually at some point forever too. So far I'm on the every 6 mo plan with him.

    I kind of like not being dropped by my onc. I really like her and would like to check in not only on how I'm doing annually but to find out if anything cool is coming down the pike since she's involved in research as well. The only thing I hate is the wait time to be seen, well with most offices. My ps office is the only one that isn't too bad of a wait.

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