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Smoking.
I searched the forum and I don’t see any thread on the specific topic of smoking.
As many us find out at some point, bladder cancer is the second leading cancer for smokers and smokers have a higher rate of bladder cancer than non-smokers (although non-smokers certainly make up a fairly large number of those with the disease).
I am a former cigarette smoker. I say former because I stopped soon after I was diagnosed with T1HG bladder cancer in late August. I don’t like that I am not a smoker but I understand that the chance of recurrence is higher if I continue to smoke. That’s what I’ve read anyway and my doctor at Johns Hopkins confirmed the accuracy of the information.
I started smoking probably around 14 or so (middle school). By the time I graduated high school I was probably up to a pack a day and I stayed there until I was in my late 30’s when I started decreasing the amount I smoked. For the last 10 or so years I’ve been down to about 6 a day. All in all I’ve been a cigarette smoker for about 44 years.
I always said to people that I loved smoking (and I did…do…did) but that I wouldn’t be surprised if I was told that I had cancer at some point in my life. As it turns out, I was surprised when I was told I had bladder cancer, but I wasn’t shocked or in any kind of denial. It made perfect sense to me. I didn’t have any “why me!?” moment. And, while my bladder cancer may have nothing to do with my smoking, it very well could. I’ll never really know.
I don’t blame myself for having bladder cancer, even if it could be directly traced to my smoking. I don’t feel sorry for myself either. I just feel kind of numb. I am hoping I will regain my enthusiasm for life if I get the all-clear after my second TURBT and BCG treatments. Right now I just feel like my life is on hold and, I hate to say it, I’m thinking that I might as well smoke again until I know I’m in the clear. But I also know that smoking seems to interfere with BCG treatments, so I’m in a real fix.
I’ve thought about vaping or some other alternative form of nicotine delivery, but I know it would lead me back to smoking cigarettes, my true love. I’ve thought of just smoking cigarettes but not inhaling, which I used to do for much of my cigarettes anyway in an effort to cut down. But I know I’d start inhaling a drag or two and would sooner or later be back up to five or so a day in no time. I thought of smoking again and giving myself a longer period to cut down. I only gave myself a day or so notice when I quiet in August. But that plan wouldn’t make sense. Why go back to smoking after not smoking since late August just so I can stop again? That’s insane thinking. In the end I won’t smoke. I just won’t smoke.
In any event, I just wanted to post something about smoking since I’m sure it has been a subject of interest to many members of this forum and may be of interest to any future members.
08/16/16 – TURBT – 1 tumor, T1HG, 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 1.8 cm, non-invasive papillary.
BCG treatments (15 doses total – last March, 2018). As of latest cysto on June 30, 2024, cancer free!4 Replies-
[quote=”Nix” post=52104]My brother had a neo bladder 12 years ago, is 80 yrs old and doing very well.
I caught mine very early, because of my brother, I had BCG, and I am 9 years cancer free.
[/quote]Nancy, thanks.
You and your brother are inspiring. My thought at this time is that if I have to have my bladder removed I’ll just start doing what I want when I want (smoking, eating, whatever) since the game is basically over. But you (and other stories here) show me that that is wrong. Live goes on and can still be enjoyed. Thanks for that.
08/16/16 – TURBT – 1 tumor, T1HG, 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 1.8 cm, non-invasive papillary.
BCG treatments (15 doses total – last March, 2018). As of latest cysto on June 30, 2024, cancer free!
[quote=”Jack R” post=52100]A much cited NIH document found that “50 percent of all cases of bladder cancer are found in smokers”. What ??? 50% of bladder cancers then are found in Non-smokers. [/quote]
I read the same document and thought the same thing!
Thanks for thoughtful response.
08/16/16 – TURBT – 1 tumor, T1HG, 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 1.8 cm, non-invasive papillary.
BCG treatments (15 doses total – last March, 2018). As of latest cysto on June 30, 2024, cancer free!
John,
I quit smoking 17 years before I had Bladder Cancer. When I was first diagnosed, 10 years ago, I found a doctor on line that I contacted, and much to my surprise, he answered many questions for me.
In his writings, he suggests that up to 17 years after smoking bladder cancer can be the result.
My brother also had bladder cancer before, he was a smoker at the time, but we also grew up in a steel town, during the 40,50,60,70,80’sLots of air and ground pollution, an city used well water at that time. No surprise there is a lot of
cancer in that town.
My brother had a neo bladder 12 years ago, is 80 yrs old and doing very well.
I caught mine very early, because of my brother, I had BCG, and I am 9 years cancer free.
My past caught up with me, but because I quit smoking I feel I had a chance at a cancer free recovery.
Good luck, congrats on not smoking, I do know how hard that can be!Nancy
Nancy S
Ta CIS
dx Ta 11/06
dx Ta CIS 10/07
John,
Interesting topic to bring up for a discussion – SMOKING.
I was also a 40+ year smoker, a bit more committed to the (now) nasty habit than you describe. I quit for good a few years back, after quite a few periods of non-smoking. A long period of hospitalization and rehab, courtesy of a drunk driver slamming me into a freeway sound-wall while I was working on the side of the road, ended my tobacco drug habit for what may well prove to be the final time. Having to go to a hospital loading dock to smoke – along with the doctor and nurse smokers – finally convinced me that I had a drug habit.
Having confessed to my long term voluntary informed choice to smoke despite many medical providers recommendations to stop, upon the diagnosis of BC a year ago I began to learn about BC.
Like you, I read that smokers have “higher rates of BC than non-smokers”. Depending on source, smokers anywhere from 2 to 7 times more likely to develop BC than non-smokers. A range as wide as “2 to 7 times” could not help but catch my attention; widely divergent statistics derived from a common data pool raises red flags. It seems it would be a no-brainer – if you have BC, either you were a smoker or not. The calculation of any increased risk should be straight forward and consistent.
A much cited NIH document found that “50 percent of all cases of bladder cancer are found in smokers”. What ??? 50% of bladder cancers then are found in Non-smokers. The NIH document continues, “Former smokers are twice as likely to develop the disease as those who never smoked; current smokers are four times as likely.” Interesting.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/smoking-bladder-cancer
The numbers are all over the map. Simple statistics can be tricky – the results are dependent on EXACTLY how the qualifications are defined (and they are almost never defined in consumer level publications). If there is interest, I will provide somebackground material upon which the stats rely.
But we can all agree. Smoking is a dumb idea. (and smokers DO like smoking) It is good to quit, better to never start. How much smoking contributes to bladder cancer is open to debate among respected sources.
John, you have been a non-smoker for a couple of months now, a couple more and you will start to think like a non-smoker, a few more months and you will feel sorry for those sucking on the weed outside stores and offices. Eventually, you won’t even thing about smoking, except once in a long while when suddenly, out of nowhere, you have the thought that a cigarette would be real good right now. I am told that as I get closer to 20 years of non-smoking that the sudden thought will go away too.
Hang in there. Just don’t buy or bum any smokes. The demons in your head screaming for a smoke are quieting down. Beat them and beat the BC.
Best
Jack
6/2015 HG Papillary & CIS
3 Years and 30 BCG/BCG+Inf
Tis CIS comes back.
BC clear as of 5/17 !
RCC found in my one & only kidney 10/17
Begin Chemo; Cisplatin and Gemzar
8/18 begin Chemo# 3
Begin year 4 with cis
2/19 Chemo #4
9/19 NED again :)
1/2020 CIS is back
Tried Keytruda, stopped by side effects
Workin on a new plan for 2021Sign In to reply.
