Mammogram frequency after cancer

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Togethertolearn
Togethertolearn Member Posts: 278
edited July 2022 in Share Your Experiences Of Life After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis

What have you heard or experienced about this... My oncologist will not allow me an 18 month after breast cancer mammogram , yet aren't you supposed to get mammos every six months for the first two years? If so, does anyone know a way to get one without an onco referral? thank you!

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited December 2020

    The official guidelines are annual mammography. Every 3-6 months a physical with physician palpating/examining remaining breast tissue, lymph nodes, liver etc..

    " physical examination every 3 to 6 mo for the first 3 y after primary therapy, every 6‐12 mo for the next 2 y, and annually thereafter"

    "should refer women who have received a unilateral mastectomy for annual mammography on the intact breast and, for those with lumpectomies, an annual mammography of both breasts "


    https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/fu...

    I got my referrals from my GP. Do you have a family physician? It doesn't have to the oncologist who does the follow up. In our system, we get discharged from MOs care when we're finished treatment & the GP takes over.

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  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited December 2020

    Hi Togethertolear, I was told 6-months after radiation then yearly if no issues. Script for possible ultrasound and always 3D. My MO told me there was a problem getting her patients to come in for a mammogram due to Covid. Before BC my PCP ordered the mammogram. 18-months is way too long to wait.

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  • Togethertolearn
    Togethertolearn Member Posts: 278
    edited January 2021

    After being told it would probably get cancelled since I wasn't supposed to get one (thatstill makes no sense), I got a mammo today, my OB helped pull it through. Only it was scheduled wrong so I had to wait and get two sets of pics but I didn't care - right side where cancer was is fine! Left side results will be sent in the mail. They were very very nice. A huge load off my mind to get a mammo 18 months after. Don't give up if you want one, someone somewhere will listen!

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  • priss1
    priss1 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2022

    I was diagnosed with Stage I in 2014 in right breast. I had a mammogram for 2 years every 6 months. In January 2021 a small (4mm) simple cyst was found in my left breast. I had a follow up diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound 6 months later and the cyst had grown to 5mm. I had another follow up mammogram and ultrasound 6 months later, and the cyst had grown to 6mm. The radiologist did not recommend another follow up in 6 months but rather just have my annual mammogram in 1 year. Since the cyst seems to be increasing in size every 6 months, I pressed my oncologist to have another mammogram and ultrasound in 6 months and not wait another year. (She reluctantly agreed).

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