diagnostic tests

17 years 9 months ago #634 by Rosemary
Replied by Rosemary on topic diagnostic tests
Holly,
I was diagnosed in January with a very large tumour. I've had 3 biopsies. Each pathology report has had wide ranges of differences...from ho-hum, to panic, to nothing...

I finally asked my good doctor (as we could not seem to get a solid read on the tissue) if pathology was subjective...and the answer was "Yes" it is subjective.
So these doctors are basically, I think, looking at your bladder tissue under a microscope and making an educated guess.

I think that you would be wise to get a second opinion and I think you should just ask a lot of questions about this to your Doctor.

Rosemary
Age - 55
T1 G3 - Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006

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17 years 9 months ago #633 by Holly
Replied by Holly on topic diagnostic tests
Thank you for responding.  No, I am not having any treatments.  As a matter of fact, the urologist wasn't even sure I needed the biopsy when he first told me about the cytology reports saying I had noninvasive papillary carcinoma.  He thought maybe I could wait a month or two and recheck it, saying he's seen this before and oftentimes it really isn't anything to worry about.  But I insisted on the biopsies immediately, which according to him, showed I have bladder dysplasia.  His advice was to have another cystoscopy in 6 months.  I have had the biopsy tissues sent on to another lab for a 2nd opinion though, and I'm still waiting for those results to come back.  

So, you did NOT have cancer but are still having th BCGs?  Did your doctor suggest that you have them or did you ask for them?    

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17 years 9 months ago #632 by Rosemary
Replied by Rosemary on topic diagnostic tests
Holly,
I had the same results, in a way. The Dr's were worried about having to take the bladder, and then when they finally got enough tissue to see if cancer were in the wall, presto, the cancer was gone...
I don't even have the precancerous condition..but,

I am doing the BCG's though. Do I understand that you are not having the treatments?


Rosemary
Age - 55
T1 G3 - Tumor free 2 yrs 3 months
Dx January 2006

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17 years 9 months ago #609 by Holly
Replied by Holly on topic diagnostic tests
I had my bladder biopsy yesterday. My urolgist said he could find NO tumors anywhere and if there was cancer it would be microscopic and easily treatable. Then the results came in today and indicated no cancer but I do have dysplasia in a few spots according to the biopsies, which my doctor said is pre-cancerous so he wants to repeat the cystoscopy in 6 months. I understand that all of you are dealing with much worse, but I am just wondering something that maybe someone has an answer to. If my bladder wash from the cystoscopy showed noninvasive papillary carcinoma (studied by the Mayo Clinic) three weeks ago, how can the biopsies show NO cancer at all? Should I get a 2nd opinion?

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17 years 9 months ago #602 by hvalenti
Replied by hvalenti on topic diagnostic tests
Forgive me, I don't know how to do this "posting stuff." :) It's new to me and I keep getting lost. I just posted under another question and then found this posting and it seems to be more of what I'm interested it.

If there is no tumor in my bladder and it turns out that non-invasive papillary carcinoma has originated in my ureter, what kind of treatment is generally done for that? How slow growing is this type of cancer, or in other words, how long can it grow before it would be considered dangerous? I guess I fear because the blood in my urine has been easily explained by the kidney stones I've passed monthly over the past year, yet I also felt there to be something else wrong and wonder if the cancer caused symptoms that no one (including myself) suspected were more than just stones. :(

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17 years 10 months ago #541 by lhpdogs
Replied by lhpdogs on topic diagnostic tests
Hi Amy,

Most of us with this type of cancer feel that way... we go a long time being told we have an infection etc, since the tests to check for cancer are so expensive and we don't fit the profile. Being female and 47, my doctor didn't suspect cancer the first time I had lots of blood, but I had it again 18 months later, and feel very lucky that she referred me to a urologist at that time, and he scheduled me for an immediate MRI and a cysto/TURB the next week. I had a very large tumor, but it was Ta, Grade 0 - and I am going for my six month follow-up next week. I guess if you are a male and over 60 and pee blood, they figure you for cancer first thing. But not for younger females. Especially as young as you.

I was also assured that this type of cancer would not have metastasized into the blood; yet I can't help but wonder what is going on in my bladder for the last six months - did it grow back? 80% of the time, it does. Is it still non-invasive and low-grade? Sure hope so.

There is woman on this board who talks of 16 years and 37 TURBs... wow. Not something to look forward to, but she's alive, she hasn't lost her bladder, and she has a great outlook. Even my urologist said that if he was ever diagnosed with cancer, he would choose what we have over all other types. Hope you feel a little bit better, reading the stories on this board. 8-)

TaG1 12/05
3 recurrences
BCG started 9/09

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