Does you oncologist every release you?

I still see my oncologists every 6 pos but now see his PA on one of those visits. I too continue on hormone blocker at my request. As you said it would be so very lovely for someone to tell me it will never come back...can't imagine the joy of that freedom...but very grateful for the 10 years so far!

this isn’t probably good advice, but I stopped going to my oncologist after 4 years. I went to every six months and the tumor marker test just caused me stress. I had no other scans or tests and I didn’t see the point of a tumor marker test only. I could get that at a pcp’s office. I have my yearly mammogram but also stopped getting a yearly MRI. I stopped this because it caused me soo much stress to begin with and the last time I went, my IV popped out, I told them I felt warm liquid running down my arm and they told me it was fine. Then the machine broke and after being stuck in there, they took me out and I was in a pool of blood. So that was the end of that for me. I figured, if I have symptoms-I will go to an oncologist. I am now in my 11th year of remission. I know this may not be great advice, but it has worked for me. It’s been 7 years since I’ve seen an oncologist.

At 5 years I went from every 3 months to every 6 months - ten years later I'm still every 6 months (15 years out from Dx)- my next appointment is in 10 days and I get my Prolia shot (#4).

After 10 years, I released myself. My MO would not allow me to continue on the Tamoxifen, and had no other treatments to offer to prevent recurrence. They never did perform any tests. So I did not see the point in continuing to go so they could pat around on my chest once a year. I have a PCP that I see for general health, so unless something comes up, that is enough.

I would probably feel differently if I had not already had both breasts removed.

^{Hi Outfield - just chiming in here. I've been through a number of oncologists over the past 15 years, and they seem to be less and less involved with me as time goes on. This year I had a virtual appointment due to the pandemic and so he didn't even take blood or check my lymph nodes! He has now reached the point where he's threatening to take me off Arimidex - apparently there's not enough data to prove it's doing me more good than harm at age 65. He'll make his final decision when we have a face-to-face meeting in June, after I get updated results on my cholesterol and bone density. I am terrified to stop taking it - what if it's the one thing that's kept me from recurring all these years? You can't prove a negative, after all.}

^{Sigh. Life has no guarantees, especially in the BC world...}

^Julie