Malignant tumor removed

Great news, Bert, I have an appointment today with my Uro, and hopefully start some maintenance BCG son.

Diagnosed 7 years ago and still hanging in here!!
Diane

That's tough news to hear... I'm really sorry to hear that but at least they have identified the problem area now.

I was found to have a 1.6 cm "bladder mass" January 2010 and my uro removed it via a TURBT. He was surprised by my diagnosis when the path came back that it was an invasive adenocarcinoma (rare category) and the pathologist said it was suspicious for invasion into the muscle layer but they could not confirm it with the sample. At that point, it was beyond his area of expertise.

He sent me to Vanderbilt where the uro/surgeon was fortunately able to just remove a segment of the bladder wall (partial cystectomy) at the tumor site just in case there was still tumor cells there. When that path report came back, a very small portion of the tumor had been left behind-- about .5cm, but two margins around that were clear.

So it seems sometimes the TURBT instrument cannot go deep enough to get everything. Like others have said, it's time to seek out an experienced specialist.

winshipcancer.emory.edu/bladder-cancer/WinshipContentPage.aspx?nd=776

This is the page link for Emery Winship Cancer Center it is in Atlanta and I know that is a ways for you. I have traveled for treatment and still do in order to find a specialist.

www.urologyhealth.org/find_urologist/html/listurologists.asp

The above is a serach of the AUA data base of Urologists in GA.

Martha Terris in Augusta comes highly recommended.

Seeking a second opinion is the wise thing to do when dealing with the initial diagnosis of cancer. Hope this helps.

Don't know about any good places for bladder cancer in Savannah. There is a center at Emory in Atlanta. You need to be careful when searching. There are places that call themselves "Cancer Centers" that are really for-profit hospitals that make a good profit out of treating any cancer they can get their hands on. You need a place that is not only good in urology (many are good, but specialize in prostate cancer) but that treats a lot of BLADDER CANCER.

Sara Anne