Next Step

Happy New Year Everybody!

I met with Dr. Paneras, oncologist, yesterday. He was great and spent about an hour explaining things to me. He said I will see him every three months for the next three years! He thinks Dr. Cole took out enough margin so they don't need to go back and take skin.

He wants to perform an Oncotype DX test on the tissue that was removed to determine my propensity for cancer recurrence. This test gives a recurrence score based on genes and proteins and helps determine whether or not I will benefit from chemotherapy. The results will take about 1 to 2 weeks during which time we do nothing. He referred me to a Radiation Doctor although Dr. Paneras doesn't want to begin radiation until after we know about the results of the Oncotype test. If chemo is recommended they prefer to do that before radiation.

Because I am still pre-menopausal, they recommend that I take tamoxifen for the next five years (I will switch to a different med post-menopause). I begin this after the other treatments.

What's next? Consult appointment with the Radiation Doctor on Jan 12th, then next appointment with Dr. Panares on Jan 15th.

How am I? Fine. Physically? normal numbness at the incision sites. Some tenderness radiating down the arm and back from the site - I will call Dr. Cole about this. Emotionally? just dandy. This is just an inconvenient blip in my life. I respect it, but I don't fear it. I will do everything possible to ensure its demise. Here's to 2009. Cheers.