Do We Ever Stop Seeing the Onc?

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ck55
ck55 Member Posts: 346
edited August 2016 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I will be 10 years out in Nov and I still see my onc every 6months for blood work, including tumor markers, and a physical exam. My question is, does this go on for the rest of my life? I love my onc and enjoy seeing her, but I have to wonder when enough is enough?

Cyndi

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited August 2016

    Hi ck55, congratulations on being 10 years out!

    I am not sure what the recommended protocol is but I think you have a great oncologist and should continue seeing her regularly as long as she agrees to see you. Unfortunately, with ER+ cancers the reoccurrence risk never goes to 0 - no matter how many years out you are.

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  • sugarplum
    sugarplum Member Posts: 318
    edited August 2016

    I'm 10 years out and still do 6-month checkups with my onc, which include a blood draw. I am still on Arimidex - not sure if that makes a difference to them - but I certainly have no objections to them keeping such a close eye on me :)

    Best, Julie

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited August 2016

    I am 4 years out and I don't see any onc. anymore. Have a very good family doc who was comfortable taking over my annual exams and blood work and ordering mammos and prescribing the A.I.



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  • Kathleen26
    Kathleen26 Member Posts: 210
    edited August 2016

    Someone close to me just had a recurrence that turned out to be metastatic breast cancer after 12 years, and that's not the first person I've known personally that had a recurrence after 10 years.. If you really like your onc, I would keep seeing him/her so that you are already an active patient should something come up.

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  • MmeJ
    MmeJ Member Posts: 167
    edited August 2016

    Depends on the doc and the practice s/he is in, and over the years I've deduced that one's geographic location factors in, too.

    I'm still every six months and he tells me that will be the case for the rest of my life. I am high risk. He's very conservative, which means he sticks to the NCCN guidelines (no imaging unless symptomatic, no blood work, no tumor markers - go figure). But I do make him do blood work once a year for my own peace of mind.

    A co-worker who had a similar dx and tx on the ILC side and whose onc trained under my onc is about two years behind me. Hers has already released her to once a year visits.

    I do not mind seeing mine every six months because he's the only remaining doc I have who has been there from the beginning (I have chronic health issues due to the treatments). The continuity is important.

    P.S. Congrats, ck55, on being 10 years out! Perhaps you could ask if you could drop to once a year, and see what your onc says? Did you do the extended anti-hormonal tx?

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  • ck55
    ck55 Member Posts: 346
    edited August 2016

    Thanks so much for all of your responses. I suppose I will just keep going until she says enough. I am currently taking Tamoxifen after 5 years of Femara. I just couldn't handle all the side effects - joint pain, achy feet and most of all the vaginal dryness. I was getting constant UTI's and sex was close to impossible. So with the Tamoxifen I am now able to use the estranged and my QOL is much improved. I would take Tamoxifen forever if she wanted me to. I seem to have no unbearable side effects from it.

    My only concern is that I have read that Tamoxifen may not be as effective against ILC as the AI's. Does anyone know this to be true?

    And MmeJ - thanks for the congrtats, it is verymuch appreciated!

    Cyndi

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  • caaclark
    caaclark Member Posts: 936
    edited August 2016

    I'm 10 years out and see my med. onc. every 6 months.  I also see my Rad onc. every 6 months.  No bloodwork, no scans.  I believe it gives me a false sense of security but I'm good with that.  I'm on letrozole and the med onc. also orders dexa scans as needed, along with mammo on remaining breast.  I will keep seeing mine as long as they want to see me. 

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  • ck55
    ck55 Member Posts: 346
    edited August 2016

    Congratulations on you 10 years caaclark! I have to wait until November 9th to officially celebrate mine. But I think I will make it. 😉

    I also have to go for a mammogram on my left side and an MRI on both my left boob and my right foob each once a year, 6 months apart. I am assuming that will be for the rest of my life, so I guess I'm in it for the long haul with my onc. Good thing I like her andshe is younger than me!

    Cyndi

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