Two Questions

8 years 5 months ago #49785 by MHY
Replied by MHY on topic Two Questions
If you are willing to travel, I would highly recommend Eila Skinner of Stanford School of Medicine (Palo Alto) or Sia Daneshmand of Keck School of Medicine (Los Angles).
The following user(s) said Thank You: angelgrl

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8 years 5 months ago #49780 by angelgrl
Replied by angelgrl on topic Two Questions
Ok Cynthia. I live in San Diego California, so what is the best hospital that has the best team of specialists in bladder cancer. I thought Scripps was ok since that is who I am with right now, but I do not know now. Thank you for your concern too.

angelgrl

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8 years 5 months ago #49778 by Cynthia
Replied by Cynthia on topic Two Questions
Angel,

First off I will start by saying none of us are doctors here. All we can depend on is personal experience, published research and finding a specialist we trust.

Occasionally radiation therapy is used with chemotherapy in treating bladder cancer. It has been for sometime been studied as a alternative to bladder removal. It is normally only used on people who fit a tight criteria to maximize outcome. Proton therapy is now being looked at as an addition to the study of this type of therapy. So the question you are asking could not be answered here it could only be answered by the doctors involved following personal evaluation.

As for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. They are for profit cancer centers offering a boutique experience for cancer patients, so it offers a nice setting and a lot of side services. While this is nice the really important question is are they expert in your type of cancer? What is the volume of bladder cancer they treat compared to centers of excellence? How many Radical Cystectomys do the do a week and how many of the different diversions.?

Now I want you to read this very carefully. We understand you do not want to have a Radical Cystectomy and are looking for alternatives. We can understand that but we can not give you the answers that you are looking for and neither can the Internet. I would highly recommend that you be evaluated by a treatment team at a center of excellence in bladder cancer. Let us know what state you are in and we can let you know what is close. You can research and ask us questions but the bottom line is that none of us know what your situation is until you are evaluated, so something you feel is promising may not apply to your situation. What you need is to find a bladder cancer specialist or team of specialists you trust and with them formulate a treatment plan.

I am worried about you and want you to get the best treatment and answers you need. Please keep us updated.

Cynthia Kinsella
T2 g3 CIS 8/04
Clinical Trial
Chemotherapy & Radiation 10/04-12/04
Chemotherapy 3/05-5/05
BCG 9/05-1-06
RC w/umbilical Indiana pouch 5/06
Left Nephrectomy 1/09
President American Bladder Cancer Society

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8 years 5 months ago #49776 by angelgrl
Two Questions was created by angelgrl
Hi. Thank you for your advice on my previous post about having the surgery to remove my bladder. I do have two questions to ask though. My Oncology Urologist informed me at our last visit last week that he is giving me two options, one is to have radiation therapy the two is to have the radical cystectomy. I have reading up on Proton therapy for cancer treatment and from what I have read, even on the hospital's site where I would have the surgery if I was to choose that route, they are saying that it is equivelant to having the surgery. Does anyone have further findings on this therapy and if it is successful in treating muscle invasive cancer? The other question I have is, does anyone have information on the Cancer Center of America? My friend heard about them and wondered if I might want to receive help from them. Thank you.

angelgrl

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