HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - at what point do you stop seeing an Oncologist?

AlaskaAngel · 09-05-2008, 10:48 AM

Hi Kimberly,

I'm hundreds of miles from any oncologist and at 6 years out as a stage I who has always been NED, my PCP is my watchdog. He is not run of the mill, though, and is very good about facilitating any testing we discuss.

I see my cancer center surgeon in Seattle once a year.

My onc happened to be a general onc at the cancer center and never was particularly tuned in to bc, much less HER2 bc!

I think risk level is a solid reason to stay connected somehow to someone who is aware of current research and not rely on a PCP for that. A competent PCP is wonderful but they have to cover so much ground for so many health problems that they truly cannot stay on top of the more particular research that applies to you.

A caution here is that my original surgeon in Alaska used the title "Breast Cancer Specialist", and she was the one who ignored several radiologist's reports that recommended "consideration of biopsy -- BIRADs level 4", which delayed my diagnosis. So if you are depending on someone in a rural area to watch over you in-between visits with cancer center docs, be more sure than I was at time of my diagnosis about the abilities of the person you are seeing.

AlaskaAngel

09-05-2008, 10:48 AM	#10
AlaskaAngel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 2,018	Consider the risk level Hi Kimberly, I'm hundreds of miles from any oncologist and at 6 years out as a stage I who has always been NED, my PCP is my watchdog. He is not run of the mill, though, and is very good about facilitating any testing we discuss. I see my cancer center surgeon in Seattle once a year. My onc happened to be a general onc at the cancer center and never was particularly tuned in to bc, much less HER2 bc! I think risk level is a solid reason to stay connected somehow to someone who is aware of current research and not rely on a PCP for that. A competent PCP is wonderful but they have to cover so much ground for so many health problems that they truly cannot stay on top of the more particular research that applies to you. A caution here is that my original surgeon in Alaska used the title "Breast Cancer Specialist", and she was the one who ignored several radiologist's reports that recommended "consideration of biopsy -- BIRADs level 4", which delayed my diagnosis. So if you are depending on someone in a rural area to watch over you in-between visits with cancer center docs, be more sure than I was at time of my diagnosis about the abilities of the person you are seeing. AlaskaAngel