Another dilemma

Hi Bali,

As I read your post I got shivers...It sure seems that you were very fortunate in 2006 that the bladder cancer did not go deeper. For what ever reason it seems you were given a gift of health. I have to agree with Rosemary and Pat - Sloan does not casually recommend RC.
If I had a chance to go back and get my bladder out sooner than I did - I would jump. This decision is important - maybe a 3rd opinion to have 2 that concur is in order. God Bless, Holly

PS Life with RC is still living.

Although I understand your dilemna, I see you as having a "fortunate" chance to capture and eliminate, even the slightest possibility of even 1 cell floating around to cause further havoc. Yes, RC is a drastic life altering experience, BUT, it is LIVE able

Dr. Bochner's words were "no cancer found" and I had him repeat it because I could not believe him. My cancer is still Stage 1 since it has only been found in the bladder, The nurse called to schedule the operation and I asked her again to read me the report and it was estentially the same "no carcinoma found". I asked her to have Dr. Bochner call me again but he must have run out of time. He is out of town next week but I do want to talk to him again before anything is done. I truly don't want to rush into any decision right away. I just need more facts. Rosemary, your idea to have another opinion is a good one.

Bali...i know the surgeons at MSK do not recommend radical surgery lightly. What did the pathology report say exactly...do you know? If you are at T2 I can see why he recommended cystectomy before it has a chance to regroup and invade.
I had a similar prognosis and though Dr. Herr was able with his amazing skill with the scalpel get all of the margins and the cancer out of me it was still a T2 cancer and as he said to me ""It will be back". I then consulted with 5..yes 5...other top surgeons in the field. They all agreed with Dr. Herr.
This is just my experience.
I would ask for a copy of the Pathology report and a further explanation.
Pat

Baligh,


I'm not altogether comfortable with what you are proposing.

If I remember right, aren't you a fellow North Carolinian?

My strongest recommendation to you is for you to try to go and see Dr. Raj Pruthi at UNC Chapel Hill. I have seen him myself and I highly recommend him for a borderline case such as yours.

I got a very good vibe from him when I was referred to him to see if it were neccessary for bladder removal with my T1 G3 disease.

I implore you to give him a try.

Your friend,
Ro

First an update-I was diagnosed in Jan, 4 tumors S1 G3, BCG treatments, and another tumor in June. My doctor said the path report said "suspicious for invasion" but he didn't think so. I said it was time for a second opinion and got one at Sloan Kettering. They reviewed my old slides and said that the first 4 tumors were invasive but not to the muscle. They also reviewed slides from 2006 for interstitial cystitis and said it showed cancer then. My doctor's pathologist did not report this or the invasion in Jan.

Dr. Bochner at Sloan did another TURB on 8/8 and called yesterday with the results. The new biopsy showed NO cancer yet he still wants to remove my bladder.

Rosemary, I reread the advice you gave me earlier and I am going to agree with you. I don't feel that the time is right for RC. As Dr. Bochner said, bladder cancer does have a high recurrence rate and I know that it sometimes returns with more invasion and agressiveness. However, if I don't have cancer now I feel I must give the BCG treatments another chance. RC is such a life changing surgery that I feel it must be absolutely necessary before I will agree with it.

Dr. Bochner said that the BCG treatments didn't work. Well, I have only been through one round and I was 3 treatments into the second round when I went to NY. I have read on this forum so many of you have had numerous TURBS and BCG treatments. I don't feel I have given the treatments a real chance but I am a little nervous with my decision since I am not a doctor. I have always been the kind that did exactly what the doctor ordered. If he told me to kiss my toes 10 times a day, I probably would do it. Yet I don't want to mangle my body if there is a chance I don't have to.

Hoping I am making a good decision. I know that I have a life threatening disease but I am an optimist too so this is very difficult for me.
Balihigh