Hello Everyone,
First, I'd like to wish health and blessings to everyone on this site. I recently discovered this site (a week ago) and was both enlightened and encouraged during this difficult time. I thank each and every one of you for making this site a place of support, encouragement, and a beacon of hope for those newly diagnosed and for those who have long been in the fight.
My partner is 78 years old and was diagnosed with bladder cancer back in March after a biopsy. A few weeks later he started chemotherapy with cisplatin and did remarkably well. According to the doctors, the chemotherapy managed to keep the cancer for spreading. We were glad about the good news. Then he went in to have his bladder, prostate, and surrounding lymph nodes removed which went well. The surgeon even said that he didn't see any metastases in any of the surrounding organs. I thought, wonderful! The must have caught it in time. However, they sent the lymph nodes to be analyzed and discovered the presence of cancer in all seven. Our hearts just sank. He is still recovering from the surgery and doing well however, we are so worried about the future, will he have to go back on chemotherapy again, will it work, what's his prognosis. I've been reading about new immunotherapy treatments that are showing promise and I am hoping against hope that whatever treatments they have planned for him will be successful in at least keeping the cancer at bay. My question is, when the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes does that mean there is little hope for successful treatment and thus possibly improving his survival? What possible treatments would the oncologists recommend in his case? Again, a world of thanks to everyone!