3rd class medial for DCIS

[Unregistered]

Hi, I am hoping to get some help/advice.

I got my private 2 years ago, but was issued a 3rd class medical certificate because I had DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) and LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ) 5 years ago. There was NO invasive cancer, and I had a double mastectomy, end of story. However, it became apparent that the folks who did the processing were looking at breast CANCER, and did not understand that DCIS/LCIS are not in truth cancers despite the scary-sounding name. I can understand that things can be complicated, but I have been unable to talk with anyone there, and my letters explaining this, including some from my surgeon and primary doc, as well as literature on DCIS, have been completely ignored, other than to send me information on "bladder cancer" regulations. In the correspondence I have received, it looks as if only clerks have seen my information; they are signed "So and so FOR Dr. X." I am wondering if someone knows they made a mistake and just wants to bury rather than fix it. My medical examiner doesn't want to have anything to do with it. I am frustrated to have to go through the extra rigamarole for the 3rd class, at age 49, when my risk of breast cancer is less than every one in the building, including the men! Ironically, I am an oncologist, but no one cares, although the medical examiner took my expert advice over the phone about an acquaintance, on whom he was doing an exam, who happened to have remote Hodgkin's, but doesn't seem to be willing to make any phone calls on my behalf.

Is there any hope to get this 3rd class erased? If so, to whom should I write? Is there a statute of limitations on real cancers or premalignant lesions?

Thanks very much for any advice you can give.

 

[AggieMike88]

Best person for this is Dr. Bruce Chien. Contact him through www.aeromedicaldoc.com

There are a small number of difficult case AME's out there. Dr. Bruce is one of the very few REALLY difficult case docs. And he will do a great job explaining what's needed for success and then taking that and being your advocate with FAA Medical.

 

[Zeldman]

My medical examiner doesn't want to have anything to do with it.

My advice is to not go back to this person. If he doesn't want to help you then he should not be an AME. When you find an AME that will help you, tell him about the other AME that refused to do anything.

My AME just retired so I have to find another. He enjoyed specialized cases. He is a pilot's advocate, not adversary, and helped me through a couple tough medicals.

Dr. Bruce Chien seems to be a favorite here.

 

[CTLSi]

Hi, I am hoping to get some help/advice.

I got my private 2 years ago, but was issued a 3rd class medical certificate because I had DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) and LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ) 5 years ago. There was NO invasive cancer, and I had a double mastectomy, end of story. However, it became apparent that the folks who did the processing were looking at breast CANCER, and did not understand that DCIS/LCIS are not in truth cancers despite the scary-sounding name. I can understand that things can be complicated, but I have been unable to talk with anyone there, and my letters explaining this, including some from my surgeon and primary doc, as well as literature on DCIS, have been completely ignored, other than to send me information on "bladder cancer" regulations. In the correspondence I have received, it looks as if only clerks have seen my information; they are signed "So and so FOR Dr. X." I am wondering if someone knows they made a mistake and just wants to bury rather than fix it. My medical examiner doesn't want to have anything to do with it. I am frustrated to have to go through the extra rigamarole for the 3rd class, at age 49, when my risk of breast cancer is less than every one in the building, including the men! Ironically, I am an oncologist, but no one cares, although the medical examiner took my expert advice over the phone about an acquaintance, on whom he was doing an exam, who happened to have remote Hodgkin's, but doesn't seem to be willing to make any phone calls on my behalf.

Is there any hope to get this 3rd class erased? If so, to whom should I write? Is there a statute of limitations on real cancers or premalignant lesions?

Thanks very much for any advice you can give.

What are your ambitions in regard to aviation? Are you trying to become ATP? if not, why worry about it, 3rd class lets you fly PP..and pretty much anything out there if you get checked out in them...

 

[AggieMike88]

Is there any hope to get this 3rd class erased?

I'm not quite sure what you are saying with this question. Are you asking about how to retain your 3rd class medical? Or are you asking about the elimination of the third class medical for all, the one under discussion by or alphabet groups, FAA, and Congress?

Aaaany how, since you had a cancer diagnosis at the time of your original flight medical exam, you quite likely were sent a Special Issuance letter. In this letter you were provided instructions of what to obtain from your treating physicians and bring with you to your next flight medical.

You do have that letter, yes?

What did it say to obtain?

 

[poadeleted20]

What are your ambitions in regard to aviation? Are you trying to become ATP? if not, why worry about it, 3rd class lets you fly PP..and pretty much anything out there if you get checked out in them...

It appears that the Third Class issued by the AME was revoked by CAMI. The OP's problem is to figure out how to get a Third Class despite this past diagnosis of what the FAA appears to consider as cancer even if the OP says it is not. The person to help her with that is, as stated in post #2, Dr. Bruce Chien -- without delay, and without an further communication with the FAA which could create even more problems if you don't speak the FAA's medical language.

I would point out that while the Mayo Clinic says "Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is an uncommon condition in which abnormal cells form in the lobules or milk glands in the breast. LCIS isn't cancer", even the Susan G. Komen center agrees with the FAA on the other condition, saying "Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive breast cancer (stage 0)." The FAA has a protocol for issuing medicals with a past cancer diagnosis, and if the AME you're dealing with doesn't understand that or doesn't know the protocol, you're dealing with the wrong AME -- and the right one is Bruce Chien.

 

[MikeELP]

The person to help her with that is, as stated in post #2, Dr. Bruce Chien -- without delay, and without an further communication with the FAA which could create even more problems if you don't speak the FAA's medical language.

Thank you, Department of Redundancy Department.

As usual, question answered very well by a previous post...but not an OFFICIAL answer until the blessing by his holiness.


Kindly,

Mike