Mom was told she needs RC (due to CIS which "disappeared" upon diagnosis after first treatment, later recurred and is unresponsive to two cycles of treatment). She consulted Dr. Chang at Vanderbilt (with my dad, not me). He scheduled her for cytoscopy with biopsies of her bladder and kidneys, and scheduled her date for RC surgery. He talked to her briefly, and nurse discussed three types of diversions she could choose. She left confused. However,Vanderbilt is a top hospital, Chang has a fabulous reputation.
Took Mom yesterday to Dr. Kader at Wake Forest (Winston Salem) just so she could talk to another good Urologist. Dr. Kader reviewed her records and found since initial biopsy showing CIS, her local doc bases new diagnosis of CIS recurring on pathology only (wash was "atypical", DNA positive). He says this isn't the time to discuss RC, that he wants to do the cytoscopy/biopsies first, so he knows what's going on. He also wants to get her old slides to "read" himself. He called her local doc and talked with him while we were there (since original CIS biopsy results were missing from records, so he could not even confirm she HAD CIS).
Wake Forest doc said his "team" does around 4 RCs a week, or 8 a month (doesn't add up, I guess it varies). I know Vanderbilt doc does more. Is it normal that surgeons refer to number of RCs done as "we" rather than "I"? Do they operate in a team?
Mom likes conservative, thorough approach of Dr. Kader, Wake Forest. However, Vanderbilt is on US News' top 50 list and Wake Forest didn't make the list. Can anyone advise? She's scheduled for the cytoscopy next Tuesday at Wake Forest, the following Monday at Vanderbilt. She needs to decide asap! She's 79...
Thanks,
Kathleen
Ne Tennessee