Worried...

Dear all,

Thank you so much for your responses: they are very helpful to us and give us the support we need.

We finally got a report today. I'm translating from Spanish to the best of my ability.

"Cystoscopy: Small, diffuse, papilary tumours found throughout the entire bladder and the prostatic urether."

"Pathology: Papilar carcinoma of high grade (OMS) not invasive that infiltrates through the prostatic ducts."

"TURB successful (01/24/08)"

"Recommendations: 1 month of rest and plenty of fluid"

"Treatment: 3 months of BCG. Once a week during the first six weeks. And once every 15 days during the last three weeks."

I hope you are not as confused as I am. Several questions come to my mind:

1. Why hasn't my father been given a stage + grade in his report? (Am I right to assume "high grade (OMS)" is G3?)

2. Why is such precise treatment being given starting this Monday when there isn't a stage on the report?

3. If perforation occured during TURB - with subsequent bleeding - why is this not being monitored prior to the start of treatment?

4. To what extent is a doctor entitled to "soften" a path report? (sorry for sounding so suspicious)

(...)

Obviously there are many more questions in our heads and my brother, who is now at home, is going to speak with the doctor tomorrow to clarify these points.

Could you please add your comments and questions you would ask the doctor? These will surely be very, very helpful.

For instance my brother will be asking him what Karen suggested: shouldn't my father have a PET Scan / CT Scan before moving on to treatment?

Love

Gabriel

I repeat and agree with Pat, that waiting until you hear from the Actual Dr. instead of someone who slipped you the information is better. I know that it is hard to wait, but sometimes only getting half of a story is worse...

Also Gabriel...I suggest that your father also have a PET Scan, & CT Scan prior to any further treatment and especially surgery...If there is a spread you will want to take care of that first, and look at your surgery options later...

Good Luck tomorrow,

.·:*¨¨*:·.Karen.·:*¨¨*:·.

Rosemary is right Gabriel, I am confused as well about the stage of his tumor, invasive? not invasive? TYPE? Don't get to worried until all the facts are in..he jumped from superficial to invasive? But for sure invasive is a new ballgame!
Ginger

Gabriel and all,

I have to be honest here. From what I understand, though am very hazy about, is that there is a new staging system in effect and that Doctors will soon no longer be using the old stage and grade system and will just be using a stage system.

In fact, on my last visit, my Uro said that I was Stage 2 and I've never been told this before. I thought I was T1 G3. I am very confused about this issue, and can not find the most recent news about the grading system on the internet....

The best idea in this instance is to not panic and to wait to hear what the Doctor has to say about this. I do no believe that any Doctor in his right mind would recommend BCG for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer....

Please let us know, Gabriel, when you hear the full story on this....

Good luck,
Rosemary

Gabriel,
Hope things are going okay with dad. My husbands muscle invasive tumor was Stage 2 to stage 3 ,,he had an r/c on Sept. 14th. My belief is this is what they will want to do with dad. If penetration has occurred to the wall its almost a given an r/c is the answer,I could be wrong, but if I am reading your situation right its muscle invasive?/stageing is so important, the difference between surgery and no surgery... your surgeon has preformed many of these operations I hope,,experience is most important,,,my husband has the outside bag, its a good choice for some older men , at 66 he didn't want to contend with the neo, plus he had some heart issues that pushed us over to the bag as his choice... take care Ginger

I am thinking about you and your family Gabriel, I wanted you to know that. Asking questions is the best way to stay ahead of the game....keep them coming

As far as grading/staging Stage 2 P2 means that the cancer has penetrated the muscle wall. There are others here that are more experienced with the grading system than I, and I am sure they will chime in shortly...

I was under the impression that once it penetrated the wall that surgery was the best route? I have been wrong before, so wait for more responses to that one.

Wait until tomorrow when you get the "Official" results, and find out what your Uro is recommending now that the Pathology Report is back...Make sure to keep us informed.

Your friend,

.·:*¨¨*:·.Karen.·:*¨¨*:·.