DX

Hi Max,

My husband was diagnosed with BC in November 2005. We were told it was cancer at the time of the scope. Surgery followed 4 weeks later with chemotherapy administered right after TUR. The cancer was more aggressive than the urologist thought it would be. It was a grade II. BCG treatments started approximately 6 weeks later for 6 times and then a scope the following month. His bladder was clear. BCG is ongoing at scheduled intervals. His scopes have all been clear. He's going through BCG right now (2nd one today in a series of 3) and will have another scope next month. His checkups are every 3 months for 3 years.

Good luck to you when you start your BCG. It's a little rough but I'm sure you'll do fine.
Take care,

Yosemite

Hello All!
Saw my uro today( In urology practice 27 years) ...I will not be getting a second TUR.
He assured me that he "Got all of the tumor".He is putting me on
BCG right away...I start my first treatment on 4-24-07.
BTW he said that chemo would only be used if the BCG teatments don't work.
I actually felt good when I left his office. He was very through and
explained everything in detail.
I do realize that there are different schools of thought about the use of chemo & BCG. It can be confusing.I say, whatever works.
Hope BCG does the trick for me,for now. I know this is a life long process.
Will keep you posted.
Max

Rosemary,
I will be meeting with my uro on Fri.4-20-07.Got lots of questions.
I'll see what he thinks about all this.Thanks for reply.
Take Care,
Max

Max,

I'm hoping that this helps.....


www.touchbriefings.com/pdf/1599/obrien_lr.pdf

Rosemary

Max,

To be honest, I am confused too.  I have been confused since the very beginning of this ordeal about what is going on and why.

I do know that I woke up from my first TUR with a bag of chemo between my legs.   I was told it was Mitomycin C and I got charged by the hospital for Mitomycin C.  At that time, it was thought that my tumor was the very lowest stage and grade, but lo and behold by the time I had my TUR to check for residual tumor, my Stage had doubled and my grade had tripled!!  

Howsomever, I have not had any recurrances whatsoever, and so I am feeling pretty glad that I got that dose, and then got one again on second TUR.  

BTW, I was told by the Urological Surgeon at UNC in Chapel Hill, that anything that grows in the bladder is considered to be cancer.

All in all, I am glad that I got that dose of Mitomycin C, though I cannot explain what the difference in perspective between various schools of thought would be on this subject.

Your friend,
Rosemary

Hi Rosemary,
I was talking with my wife recently about your message that said
that you had a dose of chemo at the time of your first TUR and that the Doctor
did it before he had the path. She said "How can that be ?" "The Doctor
would not have known if you had bladder cancer or not"
I remember asking the PA about this when I was in the Doctor's office.
( If this was an option at the time of the TUR) Here is what he said:
"What? Then he made a gesture as if he was putting a gun to his head.
He said "That would be crazy"............ I kid you not.
My wife and I have been talking about this ever since meeting with him.
Even more confused. :-/
Max