Squamous Cell Carcinema

hi Joe, I guess I was trying to say too much too fast. Yes this is when the turb was done. I was in day surgery. That was done here in North Carolina. My urologist didn't get enough muscle tissue.The patholigest report was squamous cell carinoma but she needed more to tell if it was in the muscle. I went back to day surgery and he did a map biospy to see if cancer was in one place or all over the bladder. My doctor was hoping that part of my bladder could be saved. That is when he went on vacation and I had to wait 2 weeks to find out results. he didn't tell me the stage just that a nest of the cells were in my muscle and some were changing to the squamous tendency and I had to have the bladder removed. he doesn't do the RC and was about to tell me who would when I told him I was going to the Cancer Center of America in PA. he said he was glad and that he would do my follow-up. After reading some on this forum I may have made a mistake. My cancer is suppose to be slow growing and right now I only have the cells. My doctor here removed the cancer but the cells couldn't be seen with the naked eye. So I guess I have a little time. I am more worried about my kidney right now and what kind of replacement to use in place of the bladder and what else can be messed up by the surgery.We have the Duke
hospital close to me about 1 1/2 hours but I had a bad experience with them once and I don't trust them.My husband was badly burnt, he had skin taken from his leg and drafted onto his hand. his doctor said the cast had to stay on for 10 days with no air getting to the graft before they would know if the graft took or not. He went on vacation.(this seems to happen a lot)I was not allowed to stay with him. 2 days after his surgery some students were taking him from his room when I arrived. When I asked them what they were doing they said they were going to remove the cast to see if the graft was taking. I had to threaten to sue and everything. they didn't do it but would have if I had not gotten there when I did. They won't let family stay with you and I don't like teaching hospitals anymore.

Lucky I don't see any mention of this test (TURBT) Transurethral Resection of Bladder Cancer. You said in your post you had the cysto done and this lets the Uro know whether you have cancer and they can see the size of it etc. But in order to find out what is really going on you need to get the TURBT done. I read your entire post but I am not saying anymore till I know if you had the TURBT done or not and where you got it done. The beginning of your post is very confusing so for me you need to be more specific.Would this mean this was your TURBT? Joe

Hi and welcome,

You and your sister found out something valuable right away, to keep good track of things like your records. It's scary to think the surgeon had no idea of the stone problems...

If you can, it would help to get all your records copied and scan reports and have your scans sent to the new doctor.

Try not to panic too much because surgery can cure squamous cell bladder cancer, as it does other types as well. the most important factor is how aggressive the tumor is/was and whether there is any spread to lymph nodes seen after the surgery,'grade and stage' (more info blcwebcafe.org/staging.asp

Cystectomy can take up to ten hours but is a very survivable surgery. It's no walk in the park, that's for sure though. Experience is very important so ask the surgeon how many procedures he's done..there are a few types of diversions: the external pouch, the 'internal' or Indiana-type pouch and the neobladder. These are discussed on the main site here:
blcwebcafe.org/cystectomy.asp
Sometimes people can choose their preferred type, but it's often up to either the dr's expertise or the location of the tumor and that decides what type of diversion you will get.


If you aren't thrilled with your current doctor, you could try another opinion or switching doctors. If you're close to UPenn, some of the best are there. When the diagnosis is cancer, and especially a rare one, it's good to get uro-oncologists involved. There's a difference between a uro, an oncologist and a uro-oncologist. And it's not bad to be at a cancer center where the latest and greatest diagnostics are available.

We have a bit about squamous cell blc on the 'rare tumor' page:
blcwebcafe.org/raretypes.asp

There are women on this forum who have had all 3 types of bladder removal surgeries. Feel free to ask whatever it is you are wondering.

By the way, you may or may not qualify for reproductive organ-sparing cystectomy; it depends on tumor location, but it's becoming more and more common for (esp. younger) women to get this newer procedure which spares early menopause, if you are pre-menopausal. Another reason an experienced uro-surgeon is a good thing to have.

Wishing you well,
Wendy

I went for a regular check up with my doctor in May 07. I had been having back pain that I thought was from a fall several years ago.It had gotten better and I almost didn't tell my Dr. She said lets do a urine test just to check.Test showed blood. She game me medicine saying it could be an infection. 2 weeks later I saw blood, a lot of blood. She said it could be stones or cancer.I had kidney stones years ago.She made the appointment with the urology Dr. he had the cat scan done. he said I had stones in both kidneys but my bladder wall was thicker than it should be.He did the cystoscopy 2 weeks later. He told me I had cancer. It was small about the size of a dime but it was flat. It had been caught early and he told me about the surgery to get it out and the treatments afterward. The cancer was removed Aug 9 07,but I didn't get any treatment. Then he went on vacation. Two weeks later he told me I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma and it didn't look good. He needed to do more biopys. That was done, then I was told this kind of cancer does not respond to chemo or radation and my bladder must be removed the cell were in the muscle.My sister found the Cancer Center of America in PA.We contacted them I spent 3 days there meeting the staff and doing more test. They were really nice. I met the doctor that would do the RC. I was told the kidney stones were blocking my right kidney and the left had a small blockage. Altho both were still working the right one not so good, the kidney stones would have to be removed and a stent put into the right kidney.That operation done one day and the RC the next day. I went home waiting for them to call me to set the date. Finally I called them,the doctor was on vacation. A fews days later his assistant called me and said the surgery would be done the 30th of October 07.When I aske him about the stones and that operation he said there was no mention of that in my records. i told him of the tests I had at the center , they did not not know of those tests either. He said he would contact the center to get those records. So far I haven't heard anything and We really haven't talked much about the bag or whatever we descide. He did say before the operation I would come back and they would go through everything with me and I would meet someone that has had this done. he said the operation will take 10 hours, and they are going to take out everything,bladder,female organs,and more. That was a shock I thought it would only be the bladder. The only options I remember them saying any thing about was the bag or making a bag but still having the piece coming to the outside. I have searched the internet but cannot find anything on this type of cancer. The Doctors seem to think it is contained in the bladder. If not there is nothing that can be done.
I had no idea that he operation would take so long. I have a hital hernia that is blocking some of my breathing pathway. So I worry about this and how long does it take for the kidneys to become completely blocked. One doctor said the blockage was stones another said cysts. If anyone knows anything about this type of cancer please let me know. No one in my family has ever had cancer before. We usually have heart attack ???s.