Just diagnosed what doctor and what tests

Hi there and I'm so sorry about your diagnosis. It will be a crazy few months but if you take it one step at a time you will be fine, truly. My two cents:

Get an appointment with a good, experienced breast cancer surgeon first. Not a general surgeon.

Things move unbearably slowly, so if there is a second hospital in your area book an appt for a second opinion now. Ideally this would be with the head of an accredited breast cancer center.

You will eventually need a medical oncologist and, if you choose a lumpectomy, a radiation oncologist. That can wait but you may want to ask around for recommendations now.

Your surgeon may order an MRI pre surgery. I wouldn't worry about other tests now.

Best of luck.

My doctor referred me to a breast surgeon and oncologist. I met the onco first and he went over my results with me, then I met with the surgeon, who did an exam and let me know more details of what my results meant and what the initial plan would be. Your surgeon and onco will work together, but my surgeon is the one who ordered additional tests - first an MRI, then after seeing those results, another ultrasound and biopsies to check both breasts and my lymph nodes. She was able to determine the best course of action after seeing those results, but she also ordered CT and Bone Scans, just to make sure the cancer had not spread.

I totally agree about getting a Breast surgeon - not just a surgeon. I had to choose between 2 both who came highly recommended although only one was a BS. I went with the BS. I didn’t see my MO until after my surgery. She decided the treatment plan.

My BS thought I would need chemo because of a micromet in the SN but my MO instead ordered the Oncotype test to determine the best treatment plan. It’s not the BS’ job to do that - it’s the Oncologist’s. Because of that test I dodged chemo. I had a low score. I had radiation instead.

The most important thing is a good relationship with your doctors and confidence in them. I don’t see the need for second opinions unless you don’t have that. It’s your body and your life so you have to be sure.

The process should move quickly after surgery. At least mine did.

Just so you know I am 7 years out this August. I was Stage 1b, Grade 1 IDC. I had a lumpectomy and 33 radiation treatments and 5 years on Tamoxifen.

Good luck!

Diane

Remember that a breast surgeon will focus on what they have in their toolbox--scalpels and such, e.g. Since that is what they are trained to do, a breast surgeon may push for surgery sooner rather than later. I'd make sure you talk to an oncologist, and one specializing in breast cancer if you can find one, before you decide on ANY treatment, whether surgery comes first or last.

I think if I had allowed panic to drive me, I would have had a BMX in a week after my surgeon shared my pathology report with me, because he told me he could schedule one and have me in surgery in a week's time if I wanted it. I'm glad I waited. I was able to do so much more evaluation to see whether a BMX was really what I wanted, choose a plastic surgeon/b.c. surgeon that I trusted as well as a good oncologist, and I wasn't recovering from surgery while trying to move into getting chemo, too.

There are different ways to treat b.c. Get the best medical team you can to help you get through this first.

Hugs

Claire in AZ