Meeting after surgery

Hi Tilly

I had my lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy on 29 April and had an appointment with my consultant surgeon on 23 May.

At the appointment she checked the wounds and my breast and asked how I was, etc. She then told me the results of the operation, the type of breast cancer I had and what my treatment plan was. I had plenty of time to ask any questions that I wanted. She also said that I'd see her one more time to give me the opportunity to discuss any further surgery I might want to my breasts for 'cosmetic reasons'. However, she's done such a good job that I don't think that will be necessary.

I have since received an appointment to see the oncologist on 8 June to discuss the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that I now need.

Do come back and let me know how you get on

x

I had surgery first and was a bit disappointed with the follow up meeting as I expected it to include a discussion of future treatment. In effect it was just the surgery team telling me the results of the surgery and checking my wound. So I found out about the margin around the tumour and the status of the 4 lymph nodes they had removed for checking. I was told I was being referred to oncology who would discuss the risks and benefits of chemo. 

What I learned is that each discipline sits in a separate silo - surgeons talk about surgery, medical oncologists talk about chemo, etc. 

They should be able to confirm the size of tumour, the grade and what (if any) hormone receptors it had.  But you likely know this anyway from the biopsy. They will also know about what was in the margins and the lymph nodes.  Other than making sure you have a clear understanding of what was found, and whether any further surgical action is needed (eg if the margin wasn’t clear, or the lymph nodes weren’t clear) then I suspect you already know what there is to know.

In my case I learned my margins and lymph nodes were clear, but that there was vascular invasion in the sample. It’s this, combined with it being grade 3 triple negative, that has led me to step onto the chemo train. 

Will do thank you 

That would depend on who the appointment is with. 

I had two follow up appointments after surgery. The focus during the one with the surgeon was entirely on the wound, how I was healing, any issues connected directly to the surgery and its aftermath. So, I asked if I should continue with the exercises, how well the scar was doing, what I should watch for from now on, and questions designed to reinforce or change any of the instructions I was given immediately after surgery.

The other follow up appointment was with medical oncology. This was when I was told the pathology results and the proposed treatment plan from that point. This was where I asked all questions arising from the pathology results and which had nothing to do wtih the surgery but rather with the cancer itself.

I would like you to feel free to ask any questions that come to mind at any point. If the professional you are seeing is not the one who can answer any specific question, they would tell you, and they should also tell you who to ask.

Thank you 

I had chemo before surgery and my first appointment after surgery was with my Breast Cancer Nurse, hen I got the pathology results. I then had a meeting with the oncologist a few weeks later to talk about radiotherapy.