Hi there:

My mum was diagnosed with pre-cancer and had surgery at Toronto East
General Hospital at the end of April this year. During the surgery,
doctor took the surrounding tissue for further exam, and a week later,
result show that it was all normal.

Shortly after the surgery, she had Bone scan, Abdominal Ultrasound,
Oncologist appointment, and surgeon visit for reassessment. Everything
shows normal. So she was referred by the oncologist, to a radiologist
at Sunnybrook hospital for radiation therapy.

However, when the radiologist met my mum, checked all her before and
after surgery Ultrasound, mammogram, X-Ray, reports, etc. found out
that she hasn't done a after surgery mammogram yet which he said that
it was a must and it should had been done right after the surgery.

So she was send for an after surgery mammogram, and the result shows
that there are some suspicious small spots on the same breast but not
where the surgery was performed.

Now we are waiting for the appointment for my mum to do a biopsy for
the unclear area to find out exact what they are. The radiologist
indicated that he can't schedule radiation therapy until the biopsy
result come out.

We just got the news today, and felt very confused by now.

My questions are:
1.    Are all cancer patients send for mammogram after surgery? If so,
how comes my mum was not sent for one? They forgot to do that or they
consider it was not necessary?
2.    The before surgery mammogram didn't show any of those suspicious
spots on her breast, and it showed onto the after surgery mammogram,
what does that mean? Does that mean that those spots developed after
the surgery? Or that means that the before mammogram didn't do very
well, and missed the suspicious spots?

Thanks very much for any advices.

Amy