Chemo questions

8 years 11 months ago #48640 by GilbertHouston
Replied by GilbertHouston on topic Chemo questions
huffingtonpost.com/ Here is the 5 question you have to ask to doctor while having chemo

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9 years 2 months ago #48075 by fighterm
Replied by fighterm on topic Chemo questions
There can be microscopic cancer cells that are not visible on scans. They usually develop over many years even decades and they learn how to survive in the body. And until science learns how to kill them all, up to the last cancer cell, especially the invasive type, you need to listen to your doc. If he goes for some clinical trial there is a risk that the cancer spreads beyond the bladder. It's interesting that even the best treatments have different effects on different patients. There are always some patients that don't respond to the drugs. I read that checkpoint inhibitors showed a great response for bladder cancer (as well as for lung cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma), but it's very risky to rely on it. What if this does not work for a particular patient. Usually they take only those patients that have no other alternatives.

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9 years 2 months ago #48068 by rike
Replied by rike on topic Chemo questions
Thank you so much Sara Anne for clarifying this.

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9 years 2 months ago #48065 by sara.anne
Replied by sara.anne on topic Chemo questions
You know that there is cancer in the bladder and that it is of the type that requires that the bladder be removed as a start toward a cure. A PET scan is used to try and see if there is any cancer elsewhere, other than the bladder. Your good news is that is didn't appear to be any where else.

The chemo is being used "just in case" any cells have escaped the bladder and tried to start up in very small sites elsewhere in the body. It is not primarily to deal with what is already in the bladder. Only removal of the bladder can do that.

If, by magic, chemo DID stop the cancer in the bladder, there would be no way to know until the bladder was removed and analyzed. It is extremely unlikely that this would happen.

Sara Anne

Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator

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9 years 2 months ago #48059 by rike
Replied by rike on topic Chemo questions
Hi Sara Anne, my husband is starting his chemo on Monday. praise God the spot on his lung was not malignant. he will be undergoing 3 months of chemo before bladder and prostrate removal. I was wondering if there has been anyone that after chemo had no signs of cancer anymore and didn't require the surgery.
DR said in bladder cancer the only way to tell is to remove the bladder, there is no way to tell otherwise. I thought PET scans show the presence of cancer cells (last PET scan, he had no cancer cells in the body). I am really confused and wonder if anyone has an answer to this. Is the only way to know you are cancer free a radical bladder/prostrate removal.
Thank you for all your help

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9 years 3 months ago #47843 by rike
Replied by rike on topic Chemo questions
Just an update---we met with oncologist yesterday and finally he addressed the issue of finding out what the goal is--Curing or controlling the cancer. He said we needed to get a pet scan done to make sure the cancer didn't spread to any other areas and the lymph nodes. If it spread, he said it didn't make sense to take out the bladder, it would not be a cure. I am feeling a little bit better as that doctor made me feel very comfortable in explaining things to my level. Just a few minutes we received a call from Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, they will be able to see him on Dec 31st. Thank you all and I will keep you updated and still appreciate input from everyone that have gone through this.
Merry Christmas

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