A Canadian checking in

15 years 4 months ago #22156 by kathyk
Replied by kathyk on topic A Canadian checking in
Lady Jane, I stand corrrected! Good job researching. Kathy

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15 years 4 months ago #22150 by Lady Jane
Replied by Lady Jane on topic A Canadian checking in
After hours of online research I have found different reports as to the effectiveness of BCG with Ta tumours. I also translated my path report. One of the 3 tumours he removed from my initial TUR was the size of a quarter. And my 4th TUR had 5 tumours one the size of a nickel. One male friend I know with Ta blc, his tumours are the size of pinheads. With that being said, he received the same amount of BCG treatments as I, ( 2 rounds, apprx 6 months apart) and his last cysto was clear. Perhaps my uro is continuing BCG since I have such large tumours and a high reoccurance.

I found this info from Oncolink, Abramson Cancer Center UofPenn.

"Superficial Bladder Cancer
Superficial bladder cancer is that which has not invaded at all into the muscle. As noted above, the extent of disease is based mainly on the transurethral resection (TUR). Likewise, the primary treatment for superficial disease is the TUR. Since the cancer is superficial, all of the tumor may be able to be removed by the TUR. Although TUR is almost always used to treat superficial bladder cancers, bladder tumors will recur (grow back) in about 30% of cases after TUR. For this reason, other treatments may be used in addition to TUR. The most common treatment is a compound known as BCG. BCG is placed into the bladder several times over 1-2 months. BCG is often used in addition to TUR for patients with high grade tumors, large tumors, multiply recurrent superficial tumors, or tumors that invades into the lining of the bladder (T1 tumors). Though BCG is effective, it is not without side effects-causing bladder spasm and irritation, often with every instillation."

I will meet with my uro and get a better understanding of everything. All this online researching is making me dizzy.:blink:

Thanks to all for your responses and welcome mat.:)

Ta Grade 1
6 TURBS
15 BCG
dx Jan 07

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15 years 4 months ago #22143 by sara.anne
Replied by sara.anne on topic A Canadian checking in
It definitely would be a good idea to sit and discuss all of this with your uro and get straight exactly what your pathology is. Your description (little cabbages growing out of the lining) does sound like transitional cell papillary carcinoma...the description my uro used was "little mushrooms." If this is the case, the good news is that it is probably not high grade. The bad news is that BCG treatment is not always effective. There is so much information on this web site for you to study before your uro discussion so that you can have your "ducks in a row" and have all your questions ready.
Good Luck!!
Sara Anne

Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator

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15 years 4 months ago #22133 by Lady Jane
Replied by Lady Jane on topic A Canadian checking in
Thank you all so much for your advice and warm welcome to the site.

I really must get out that pathology report and try to figure out what it says. It is in French because I go to a french hospital. And I don't understand all the terms. After this next surgery I will get an appt to see my uro in his office and get all 4 back pathology reports that I haven't seen and I'll have him translate them for me. Then I'll have a better understanding of whats going on. Maybe my grade is higher?

I thought any superficial tumours, growing out of the lining of the bladder, were Ta tumours. I read that here.
www.urologychannel.com/bladdercancer/staging.shtml

At my last cysto he let me see what he was seeing and the tumours look like little pink cabbages. Papillary tumours.

I am confused :blink:

Ta Grade 1
6 TURBS
15 BCG
dx Jan 07

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15 years 4 months ago #22127 by sandie
Replied by sandie on topic A Canadian checking in
Welcome to the website and good luck with your treatment. I know what you mean about the one nurse who hurt you with the catheter. I had that happen to me once...ouch, ouch, ouch...I cried all the way home. I am very wary of seeing her again. If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to ask for another nurse! Please take care of yourself!

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15 years 4 months ago #22124 by kathyk
Replied by kathyk on topic A Canadian checking in
Hello Lady Jane and welcome. I'm so glad you found this wonderful site. Friendly people, all of whom are full of advice, including me!

It is weird how families react sometimes. My only, and wonderful Aunt died, then the next month my husband, and then I found out I had cancer so I had hoped the remaining family would jump in to fill in the gap. Mine didn't do anything until I had the surgery to have my bladder removed and then my brother finally jumped in. I can't believe that they are belittling it though. It's easy to say bladder cancer isn't a big deal if you don't have it.

I went through one six week round of BCG. The 5th week I thought the nurse was trying to torture me getting the catheter in, so the 6th week I asked for the regular nurse. Seems that I was so swollen it took her forever to get it in. So in my case it was me and not the nurse but I can surely sympathize with you about the pain.

I haven't heard of BCG being used on Ta tumors. I always miss something in a serious conversion with my Dr. so I always ask for a copy of every pathology report. Then I get on the internet to look up all of those unknown medical terms to find out what they mean!

Good luck with your TUR! Here the boot us right out of the hospital as soon as we are coherent and can walk.
Kathy

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