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Recently diagnosed, best sequence of treatment.
My wife was just diagnose with bladder cancer T2, High grade.
They would like to do the chemo first and than remove the bladder.
I think that this is opposite the norm for bladder cancer. Has anyone been treated in this order?Thanks for everyones help.
Glenn
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11 Replies
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Yes he is. Don
Hanging in there!Glenn…see my PM…Dr. Mani Menon of the Vattikuti Urology Inst. affiliated with the Henry Ford Health System is a top urologist in the field.
Hello Joe,
I’m glad to here that your cancer free
And the fact that someone has had the chemo 1st makes me feel better.
We have a 2nd opinion meeting on friday with another urologist.Hello momof4,
The doctors we have been working with are affiliated with Henry Ford Hos..
I will gather all the reports for our 2nd opinion appointment.Thanks for everyones help.
Glenn
Well Glenn or Happy it’s always good as I posted to get a second opinion. But you got me confused here your first post as nothing was done as of yet I just figured your wife had the Tur and this was the Uro’s decision now your talking of BCG that started in April. See the best thing here is yes get the second opinion but do it before you take action not that you can’t change now but it just isn’t the way I would of done it. My second opinion I did the day I was dx and that was just for the hospital and getting a new Uro which was a Urologist/Oncologist and it was up at the Univ of Penn in Phila and they had the whole team, Uro/Oncologist, Surgeon, and Oncologist. As I said the chemo b4 the surgery worked out the best for me just as the surgeon said it would. Good Luck, Joe ;)
You have alot of major Cancer Centers in Detroit to choose from:
1. Comprehensive Cancer Center of Metropolitan Detroit:(313) 745-4329
2. Meyer L. Prentis Comprehensive Cancer Center:313-576-8220
3. Henry/Josephine Ford Hospital Cancer Center: 800-888-4340
You will need copies of your pathology reports, and any other tests results (CT, Bone Scan etc…). They will basically review the information you have, order additional tests if needed, and give you their opinion. It is not like starting from scratch. Alot of what they will need to look at has already been done. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes will give a new perspective, or at least if they confer with the first opinion you will feel more confident.
I would continue to get opinions and consultations until I found a Doctor I felt comfortable with. I think that is such an important aspect of this fight. Confidence in your Doctor…
Wishing you & your wife good luck,
Karen
Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.
Glenn I had the pre-op chemo meaning the chemo b4 the surgery and for me it was the way to go. The reason for this my cancer was contained to the bladder so it was better to go after that then do the surgery. Also my surgeon told me he has had his best success rate doing it this way the chemo then the surgery. Well I had my surgery done on 6/20/07 and now I am cancer free, I hope this answers your question. Yes it’s always good to get a second opinion but I think your Dr. is on the right track I had a T2 G3 invassive tumor sounds very similar to your wifes. Joe ;)
Sorry all for any confusion. the last thread from happy was actually from me.
I was on my wifes computer.
To answer your question momof4 we live in the detroit area.
We have seen an oncologist and are seeking a second opinion.Thanks
Glenn
Glenn,
What part of the country do you live in? Has she gotten a second opinion? Is she seeing an oncologist yet?
Karen
Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.
I believe the BCG was done. This all started in april. My wife seen the urologist.
He had her in the hospital for a scraping. Whatever that means. Than she was going to the doctor for treatments every monday which i believe was the BCG. After the treatments were over he checked her again and said she needed to go in again for another scraping. Then when we’re at the hospital i here they’er going to do a biopsy. It seams to me that she had cancer ever since april and we never new.Your input is greatly appreciated.
Glenn,
So sorry that your family is facing this. The answer to your question, (as it was explained to me in laymens terms) is that they want to make sure that they have the cancer under control to an extent, and that it doesn’t spread prior to surgery because after surgery it will take 6 weeks or better before she will be recovered enough for any further treatments. They may have her do chemo after the surgery as well. Chemo is rough no doubt about it, but it has come along way in the past few years. Will she be having BCG (Basically this is Bladder cleansing Chemo where they irrigate her bladder with the drug, she holds it for a few hours, and passes it before she leaves the facility) or will it be IV Chemo? There is a tremendous difference between the two. I don’t think the BCG is as detrimental elsewhere as it is confined to the bladder only. My husband gets the IV Chemo, and it is rough going…
Good Luck to you and your Wife,
Karen
Caregiver for my Wonderful Husband Angelo, who has Metastatic Bladder Cancer.Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.
The answer is yes. It depends on the uro..some do it first .. some wait until after cystectomy. I think the feeling is that doing the chemo first while you’re still somewhat strong to recover from the effects. Plus depending on the type of diversion she’s considering the chemo won’t affect the new diversion. Pat
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