Advice new diagnosed

bswilsonb9876

Close family member in her 80s dx with breast cancer two weeks ago. Struggling to get breast surgeon consult and medical oncologist scheduled. Expecting urgency but response has been poor. What is reasonable expectation? Am I being un reasonable to expect things to be scheduled within days not week of Dx?

Thxs

mandy23

Hi @bswilsonb9876

Sorry for the situation that has brought you here, but glad that you have found us.

It would be nice to be able to see providers within days, but often that doesn't happen. I would say it is more normal that it is within (a few) weeks. That being said, how many weeks out? Although waiting is one of the most difficult parts of the dx, it does tend to be a common situation.

To calm your mind a bit, breast cancer is generally fairly slow-growing. It needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, but a few weeks likely won't matter. If you are seeing appointments that are more like 'many' weeks out, maybe you could ask if your loved one could get on a waitlist in case there are cancellations?

Thinking of you and hoping all goes well.

bswilsonb9876

Thank you @mandy23. Just got medical oncologist appointment for 10days time, that's almost a month after initial biopsy result, still haven't heard from breast surgery let alone chemo/rad.

moderators

Hi @bswilsonb9876, welcome to the BCO community. We're sorry for the reasons that brought you here, but we're glad you've found us.

We're glad the medical oncology appointment is now on the calendar. Hopefully, that visit will help clarify the next steps and timeline for treatment.

Since you're supporting a family member, you may also find our Caregivers forum helpful. It's a place to connect with others who are caring for loved ones with breast cancer:
Caring for Someone With Breast Cancer

How is your family member doing with all of this? We hope you'll keep us updated.

The Mods

moderators

Hi again @bswilsonb9876,

We're just checking in on you as we haven't heard much from you since joining. Have you gotten any other appointments scheduled or other answers regarding the biopsy? We're here to help provide answers, support, and encouragement — let us know how we can continue to help.

—The Mods