Just diagnosed with T2 muscle invasive bladder tumor

1 year 1 month ago #61666 by Rockwood61
Update, after 3 months of chemo treatments I had a cystectomy on 10 January and a second surgery on 20 January to correct a problem from the first surgery.  While recovering back in the hospital with bleeding from my rectum due to blood thinner and diverticulitis. Just started immunity therapy infusion this week. the drug is OPDIVO and the list of side effects is pretty long. Curios if anyone has had experince with this drug and the immunity treatment in general. Wondering if this will ever end. 

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1 year 4 months ago #61468 by Alan
If your cancer has moved outside the bladder, it is no longer muscle invasive. Your best course is a cystectomy. This is serious, life decision making! There really is no other way to look at this. For peace of mind you may want to consider a second opinion or may want to check about certain treatment trials but, you want to get a move on. 

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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1 year 4 months ago #61467 by loader
My bladder cancer has moved outside the bladder into the prostatic urethra and may be muscle invasive.  I will find out in a few days.  What treatments are available before diversions are discussed?  I've had BCG and read about radiation and chemo.  What are the pros and cons of these treatments?  Any thoughts?

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1 year 7 months ago - 1 year 7 months ago #61407 by Alan
I am not a good reference as I haven't had to have a diversion. The consensus of most posters is they are happy with whatever diversion they eventually pick. You do have some time research further and hopefully hear from more people.

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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1 year 7 months ago #61406 by Rockwood61
Don't know when I will have to make a decision, the Urologist wants to remove the bladder and gave me the different procedures that he could do. He referred me to an Oncologist who immediately started chemo treatment. I am getting Cisplatin and Gemzar. I canceled the follow-up appointment with the Urologist because it was on the same day that I was scheduled for chemo. I am going to take the full course of chemo and see what the results are from that.  There is no doubt that the Urologist will want to remove the bladder because surgery is what he does and if I have to do that I am leaning towards the ileal conduit (loop). I am 79 and in fairly good health up to this point and that procedure is the least invasive but don't look forward to having to wear a bag. That is why I was hoping to hear from someone on this forum about their experience after having their bladder removed. 

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1 year 7 months ago #61405 by Alan
Here is a quick summary from a very good bladder hospital of the 3 main diversions. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12546-urinary-reconstruction--diversionhttps://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12546-urinary-reconstruction--diversion

The key is having a surgeon that does at least 25+ of these a year of whichever they are best at.

Also, I am attaching a questionaire some made years ago with many questions. Some apply, some don't.

File Attachment:

File Name: preopquest...8-21.doc
File Size:19 KB

File Attachment:

File Name: preopquest...8-21.doc
File Size:19 KB

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.
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