Susan,

We are from East TN, went to school at WKU. Doug saw Dr. Smith at Vanderbilt for a second opinion. Since you are close to Nashville, I would use Vanderbilt. Just my opinion. Prayers are with you.

Anita

Thank you CatherineH and Patricia. One of my friends saw Dr. Chang when she had kidney cancer so I'd heard his name before and I think I saw Dr. Cookson's information on some research re: BCG treatments. Maybe or maybe I'm dreaming that. My dad received bladder cancer treatment in Kansas and surgery at uk med center. I would go to his dr. if it weren't so far away. thank you again for your input. It really helps.

Thanks Sara Anne. I'm trying not to jump the gun re: diagnosis but I do need to be informed of choices. The dr. I'm seeing is in with the Associated Urologists of Nashville at St. Thomas and there are other drs in that group that deal with bc. We will see what Wednesday brings!

Vanderbilt is an excellent center for urological problems and they treat bladder cancer all the time. Dr. Chang, or Dr. Smith or just check the credentials on the following list...all excellent. See which matches you best but you will not go wrong going to Vanderbilt.
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/root/vumc.php?site=urologicsurgery&doc=24682
pat

Hello... I am a patient at Vanderbilt and I travel back there periodically from Bristol, VA (300 miles) for my cystoscopies. I had partial cystectomy surgery there in 2/2010 and was very pleased with the care I received. Their urology department deals with a high volume of cases, including bladder cancer and other female issues as well. They have specialists and surgeons in all phases of urological care and oncology. I was sent there by my local uro after my path report came back with a tumor in the "rare" category.

I will be happy to answer any other questions you might have about VB. I see Dr. Cookson who was my surgeon. Is the uro who did your sling on their staff still? You can view the qualifications and experience of any of their doctors here:

Vanderbilt Urology Faculty

You will probably know a little more about what you might be facing after your appointment with the urologist. He probably will (should) do a cystoscopy (looking into the bladder with a miniature camera) on Wednesday. If he sees something there, he would schedule you for a TURB (transurethral biopsy of the bladder) which is usually an outpatient procedure done under general anesthetic to take biopsies of the bladder for a good diagnosis.

IF these procedures indicate bladder cancer, you should then request referral to a urologist who specializes in bladder cancer treatment. I know that in the practice where I am treated, the bladder sling guy and the cancer guy are not the same ones!! I do think that Vanderbilt has a good reputation for bladder cancer treatment and some others on this Forum may want to comment on this.

You are a long way from a recommendation for CYSTECTOMY, or removal of the bladder...so let's don't worry about that one yet!

Wishing you a good visit with the urologist Wednesday ....

Sara Anne