Please help, friend in a panic with her breast cancer!

[Footdrama]

My close friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer back in January this year has called me this evening in a panic. She is due to have a procedure tomorrow to strengthen her bones for possible chemotherapy.
The hospital she is under has removed her lump (took 3 ops to get clear margins) but her last appt was a bit complicated.
They’ve said that she is difficult to treat and they are unsure how to proceed, talking about removing her ovaries/womb as she cannot have hormone therapy. And they might need to make her a special chemo.
Anyway, she also has existing bone problems, and is only early 30s. The last dr she saw wasn’t her surgeon or oncologist (she is still waiting to see one) and she doesn’t feel confident with things.
She wants to cancel her appt tomorrow and wait to see the oncologist, she has called her Macmillan nurse but didn’t get a call back.
I think she should try for a 2nd opinion with perhaps an oncologist that specialises more in her condition, but how do you go about this?
The bone strengthening has her worried and she is scared.
I’d be most grateful for any advice....

Anyone?

PALS can help. and sympathy. Horrible for her.

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/nhs-services-and-treatments/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service/

Don't wait to see the Oncologist. She should go for the appointment with a prepared list of questions to ask to re-assure herself. Not sure what she means by a bone strengthening procedure - could this be a bone scan- in which case she would possibly be seeing a Radiologist which would interpret the scan for the surgeon / oncologist. A bone scan is routine investigation for someone with breast cancer as the surgeon / oncologist will want a baseline to judge how well her treatment is progressing. Breast cancer can involve the bones as well in advanced cases.

As well as a list of questions maybe she should have someone go with her to the appointment - partner, parent, sibling?
I repeat - she should go for the appointment - not going will hold up the medics coming up with a treatment plan.

Well I think she has gone as I popped over this morning and she wasn’t there and she isn’t responding to messages.

It’s a bone strengthening, bisphosphonates? Not a scan, she is due a ct scan soon.

Thanks for the replies - I’ll look into it.

Biphosphonates are what she's told you - drugs to strengthen her bones as chemo may weaken them.