Thank you. We are in all lymph nodes at this point. One was the size of an egg on his shoulder they biopsied! It was on the top of the bladder and on the outside of the bladder. They went in and scraped 95% of the tumor. He keeps having infections and is put on antibiotics again. We are doing testing today before the trial begins.
IF I understand your question, you are wondering what it means when the cancer has spread into the muscle? The cancer starts in the lining of the bladder and if it is discovered while still confined there it can be very curable. As it grows and develops it spreads and can extend into the muscles that control the bladder contractions. Once that happens it is often necessary to remove the bladder. If it goes beyond that and into the lymph nodes or other tissues chemotherapy of some type or immunotherapy is the only possibility.
Does that answer your question?
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
Caregiver here. We are starting a trial at Dana Farber in the coming weeks. The information I have found seems to be dismal. Dr. Said survival rate without treatment is 2 years. We are going with immunotherapy trial as this seems to be our best odds. He is 55 years old. Any advice or information is greatly appreciated.