Jan. 06/Liver Transplant--March 07/Bladder Cancer

Rosemary, Pat,
Thank you so much for the response. Ok, so I have skipped a bit. Back in late October early November he started noticing that he had to urinate often. More then usual and it was becoming bothersome to him. He let his doctor know what was going on who ordered a cytology test which shows hematuria.

This is what it says on the lab result for the cytology:

"GENERAL CATEGORIZATION: Malignant neoplasm; Transitional cell carcinoma.

DESCRIPTIVE DIAGNOSIS: Highly cellular specimen consisting of malignant cells with features consistant with high grade transititional cell carcinoma.

RECOMMENDATION: Follow up as clinically indicated"

Uro also gave him a prescription for ditropan. As I stated, he goes for a cystoscopy on June 4th. So, we are at the very beggining of everything...I think.

When will they do a TUR if they need to do that?  

My biggest concern is him having to go through the BCG treatment (if it is indicated) after the cystoscopy because his immune system is supressed because of the transplant. He did an IVP and a CT scan also. I forget what was said about those tests...nothing was seen, I think.

As far as me being in love with the VA ....not entirely true...my partner has managed to have some very good doctors as so many who work for the VA are. He has also had a nasty, uncaring, overworked doctor that he never wants to see again (in the VA system.)  All that stuff going on in DC is very unfortunate, my partner was there in '92 doing clinical testing for the "now" widely accepted Hep C treatment and he says that building #18 is very much the same as it was when he was in it back then. I do not want to get political, but there are so many veterans that deserve so much more then they will ever get from our government who has/had employed them.  

Rosemary, I am so sorry to hear of your sister, I will pray for her.

Thank you,
Ali

Ali...i'm with Rosy...how can they make a diagnosis of bladder cancer if they saw nothing and hasn't had a cystoscope yet. Everyone has microscopic blood in the urine. I would seriously consider another opinion even tho you're in love with the VA hospitals...they haven't gotten such good press lately. Pat

Ali,

Hi.  I'm just a little confused about how the BC diagnosis was determined.  You say a CT scan showed no tumor growth.  Has he had a cystoscopy?   I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused how it was determined without a cystoscopy or a biopsy.  Can you enlighten me a little and then maybe we can help you to sort through this.

You are lucky that he was able to get his liver transplant.  My sis has Hepatitis C but is not a candidate for transplant because she cannot tolerate the anti-rejection drugs and she is prone to seizures.  But, like you say, that's another forum on another day.

Your friend,
Rosemary

(Please excuse me if I just posted something......this message board is very new to me.)

My partner has just been given a diagnosis of bladder cancer. He will be having pre-op stuff on May

29th and a cystoscopy on June 4th. We met with the urologist last week and have been told that there

was no tumor or growth seen in the CT scan. He had an IVP done, nothing conclusive there.

Microscopic blood in urine. Frequent urination were his symptoms starting about Nov. 2006.


What will happen now? I have been reading and reading, probably scaring myself to pieces, but I

want to know what is going to happen. Will they do a TUR at that time? Or will they schedule that for

another time? Will they want to do that? (I didn't have all these questions before we saw him...these

have all come up since.) Of course the more I read the more I learn.....I know a lot of

these questions will be answered by his transplant coordinator this coming week. I just want to know

if there is anyone out there going thorough the same or has done the same.

He had a liver transplant in January 2006. He is immunosupressed now and will be to guard against

rejection of the liver.  Won't that cause a problem?


I can not find any instances of transplant receipient and bladder cancer treatment.

He gets all of his treatment through the VA Health Care System. He will also get all of his treatment

for the bladder cancer from the VA also.  I can not say enough about how wonderful VAHCS is!!!!

He has had the very best treatment. My partner suffered with End Stage Liver Disease caused by

Hepatitis C.....that of course is not for this forum but I just wanted to give the VA a little plug.

Thank you all for reading this. Thanks in advance for any response.

Ali