Thank you all for your responses....
The more I think about it the more disappointed and pissed I get....If Wendy is correct (and I have no reason to think she isn’t) they certainly misled me into thinking they were using a “Blue Light” when he flipped the switch. Maybe that’s why they all disappeared so soon so I wouldn’t hear them laughing! I can hear them now “Hey let’s tell the next guy it’s a ah ah “BUD LITE” hahahaha!
I would have been more assertive with Dr. Herr and the staff but it’s difficult when the last time he/ they are actually in your physical presence you still have your legs in the air and your butt hanging over the edge of the table...and by the time you resume some morsel of dignity the room is deserted!
I am not sure why they seem soo defensive there...they certainly have a great reputation...perhaps it’s just “institutional arrogance” or fear of lawsuits .....and of course they know they have you at their mercy..not vice versa.......It’s too bad MSK and other elites can’t see themselves through patients fearful eyes....My anger and disappointment tell me one thing but the fact that this guy may some day hold my life and /or my way of living certainly gives me pause
ANYWAY... The real question I had for Dr. Herr and the board that I was going to ask (and am asking) is
If maintenance BCG would be harmful to me ....I don’t like the pain, cost, inconvenience etc. but would more than gladly pay all these prices for even a chance of improved outcomes!
And two...Why do Dr. Lamm’s studies seem to have such different results?
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
Yosarian
P.S This seems like another Catch 22!
P.P.S. In trying to find out about any of Herr’s recent studies I found this unrelated but interesting one!
Age and outcome of superficial bladder cancer treated with bacille Calmette-Guérin therapy.
Herr HW.
Department of Urology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of age on the outcomes of high-risk superficial bladder cancer treated with intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy. METHODS: A total of 805 patients with multiple or recurrent high-grade Ta, T1, and/or carcinoma in situ bladder cancer received BCG therapy. The endpoints were the initial response to BCG and cancer-free survival correlated with age among patients followed up for a minimum of 2 to 5 years. RESULTS: No difference was observed in the first response to BCG or cancer-free survival at 2 years among patients less than 50, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, or 80 years or older. After 5 years, 27% of patients older than 70 years were cancer free compared with 37% younger than 70 years (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study have shown that aging has a measurable, but small, impact on the overall outcomes of high-risk superficial bladder cancer.
PMID: 17656210 [PubMed - in process]