If you have bladder cancer, or suspect that you do, it is important to be seen at a place that treats a significant number of patients with this disease. It is not necessary to be at a center such as MSK, but you should be seen by a urologist who is experienced in more that prostate problems! (If I lived near a center such as MSK, I would definitely go there...but it is not always practical.)
Is this your first cystoscopy? During this exam, the urologist will visually examine your bladder to see if there is any evidence of cancer. If he suspects cancer, he should then schedule you for a TURB (transurethral resection of the bladder) which is done under general anesthesia...usually an out patient procedure. During the TURB he would take samples of the suspect areas and send them to a pathologist for a definitive diagnosis.
AFTER the pathology report is in, you will have a better idea of what you might be facing. At this point, if the diagnosis is bladder cancer, and especially if it has advanced beyond the bladder lining or is high grade, you will need to explore seeking a second opinion at one of the real centers for bladder cancer.
If you tell us a little more about your situation...why you are having the cystoscopy, for example, and your geographic location, I am sure that others will chime in with all sorts of advice!!
Good luck to you
Sara Anne
