Is testing every 6 months enough for breast cancer survivors?

Kathy, I have the same question. I haven't found an answer. There is no protocol for testing metastatic cancer. It's been my experience that it is found "by accident". I think if you have had breast cancer, you should get a cancer antigen blood test every year. If it's higher than the year before, more tests should be done. Then, maybe they will catch it in the lymph nodes before it spread to bones or organs....stage 3 and curable. My MBC was found 14 years after my original cancer. I had a mammogram every year because I had a lumpectomy. Although I complained to my PC for several years about pinching in my chest and pain in my hips, no follow up tests were done...just getting older. MBC was found during an ER visit for chest pain.

Same here! I was diagnosed with stage 1 in 3/2020. Complained about chest discomfort and hypersensitivity from 2021-2024. My PCP ordered further testing and it was found on CT scan that was follow up to an ultrasound that didn’t show anything. All the while I was keeping up with oncology visits and blood work every six months. Never would’ve found out I had MBC if it wasn’t for my PCP. 🤦🏾‍♀️

Testing frequency after a breast cancer diagnosis can feel like a constant worry, and it's completely natural to wonder if the schedule is catching everything it should. Many patients in this community share similar concerns about surveillance timing and whether their monitoring plan is adequate for their specific situation. The frequency of follow-up testing varies based on many individual factors that only the medical team can fully evaluate, so discussing these concerns directly with the oncologist might help provide reassurance about the chosen monitoring approach and address any worries about the current schedule.