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  • Newly diagnosed – looking for support

    Posted by mpc710 on March 22, 2010 at 9:43 pm

    ** This thread discusses the content article: Newly diagnosed – looking for support **

    My 79 yr old mother was just diagnosed with bladder cancer this morning. She had a cystoscopy last week and tumors were found, removed and biopsied. At this morning’s appt., her urologist gave her this report.

    TUR bladder tumor: Papillary urothelial carcinoma, high grade, with invasion of the lamina propria. No invasion of the muscularis propria is identified.

    Treatment suggested: Follow up cystoscopy in 3 months. Also “suggested” BCG treatment. But, left this option up to her.

    Please let me know your thoughts/suggestions.

    Humpy replied 14 years, 11 months ago 5 Members · 10 Replies
  • 10 Replies
  • humpy's avatar

    humpy

    Member
    March 24, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    Arthur, Pat created your own personal thread. Please read, and post there. We are at your service.

    Newly diagnosed Invasive..Need Support
    http://www.bladdercancersupport.org/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=114&func=view&catid=5&id=31043


    Age 54
    T1NOMX,Grade 3 Urothelial CIS (Carcinoma in Situ)
    Neobladder 5/19/2009
    Prostate Capsule Sparing
    U of M Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Arthur's avatar

    Arthur

    Member
    March 24, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    Thank you all for your replies.
    I am in the Chicago area and will be treated at a University Hospital by a Urological Oncologist. Humpy,I am glad to know life should be and will be back to ” normal” in about 6 months. Based on what I have heard from some others, I was expecting to still be recouperating at that time.

    How long should be expected in the hospital? Any other things to look out or forward to that the Dr’s don’t talk about?

    Once again thank you,
    rgds
    Arthur

  • humpy's avatar

    humpy

    Member
    March 23, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    Art, I am 10 months postop with a Neobladder. Walk in the park? No. End of the world? No. What it comes done to, is about 3 months of inconvenience. By 6 months you will be saying, what was the big deal? I do everything now that I did before. Golf, Hockey, etc. It is not the end, it is the begining. There are alot fo great people here, and we will be by your side. Have you sought a second opinion? Are you going to a cancer center or University hospital? Don’t be afraid to ask anything. We have been there.

    Jim


    Age 54
    T1NOMX,Grade 3 Urothelial CIS (Carcinoma in Situ)
    Neobladder 5/19/2009
    Prostate Capsule Sparing
    U of M Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • 's avatar

    Guest
    March 23, 2010 at 10:31 pm

    mpc…also in your neck of the woods is the excellent Fox Chase Cancer Center…Dr. Robert Uzzo…
    http://www.fccc.edu/physicians/surgical/uzzo.html
    Pat

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    March 23, 2010 at 10:16 pm

    Arthur..i’m moving you over to invasive bladder cancer so you can have your own thread and get more replies.
    pat

  • dukel's avatar

    dukel

    Member
    March 23, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    Arthur,
    You came to the right place, same place i came four months ago.
    Nearly everything you need to know is right here. Just start
    reading the threads on the forums. There are going to be a lot
    of people much wiser then myself jump in to give you advice.
    wishing you the best.
    Duke.

  • Arthur's avatar

    Arthur

    Member
    March 23, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    I too have just been diagnosed with High Grade pT2, bladder cancer with invasion into the muscle. Since being told yesterday, I ahve heard sevveral types of surgical proceedures that are and may be available to me. However nothing concrete has been offered yet, however I am told “we have to act fast”.

    I have been advised the surgery is not going to be an easy one especially with the neo bladder that wlll be the replacement. Prognoses is the success rate is high but the length of time for the process and recooperation is long and not fun to say the least.

    I am looking for some input, words of encouragement, comfort etc. that will help head me in the right direction

    rgds
    Arthur

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    March 23, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    First find out about the specimen…into muscle or did the surgeon not get part of the muscle for the specimen which is absolutely necessary to stage.
    As for repeat TURB..Residual tumor was found in 33% of all ReTURB cases, including 27% of Ta and 53% of T1 disease, and in 81% at the initial resection site in one study and there are plenty of others out there. Here’s one from Uro Today..
    http://www.urotoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view_ua&id=2223607
    its free to register and read.
    As for Pennsylvania..here’s a top uro/surgeon at Penn Medicine..a NCI designated center….Dr Bruce Malcowicz
    http://www.pennmedicine.org/Wagform/MainPage.aspx?config=provider&P=PP&ID=1398
    This would be a great place for a second opinion.
    pat

  • Mpc710's avatar

    Mpc710

    Member
    March 22, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    Thanks, Pat for your post. We live in Northeastern PA. Your point is very interesting about the invasion of the muscularis propria. I will be encouraging my mother to have the BCG treatments. I hadn’t heard/read about the suggestion of having a second TURB within 2 to 6 weeks. Thank you for your help.

  • 's avatar

    Guest
    March 22, 2010 at 10:12 pm

    hi mpc,
    i’m always scratching my head when i read a pathology report that states “No invasion of the muscularis propria is identified.” Does that mean the surgeon did not get enough of a specimen to determine if it was into the muscle or is that just the way he words it? A good question to ask as they all seem to have their own language.
    i see no reason why your 79 yr old mother can’t have BCG treatments if in otherwise good health. Dr. Lamm has recommended reducing dosage by l/3, l/10 and even 1/100.
    see the following article.

    http://blcwebcafe.org/content/view/112/122/lang,english/
    Also a real good idea to get a second opinion. If you tell me where you are i can help. Recommendations now are to have a repeat TURB within 2 to 6 weeks after the first TURB just to make sure all margins are clean and no re-seeding has taken place.
    Pat

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