Hello,
I am hoping someone can direct me on where to go for a second opinion/treatment option for my dad. He is 65 yr, 2 months ago found blood in his urine. He went right to the doctor and they though it was bladder cancer ( his mom died of bladder cancer). Found the bladder was clean. After more tests and exploratory surgery they found he had cancer on his ureter. The night before Thanksgiving he went in for surgery by Dr. Eun at Pennsyvania Hospital in Philadelphia. He removed the ureter, kidney and a small piece of his bladder. He also took out three lymph nodes that looked troubling that were located pretty far from the ureter up by his aorta. He did a flash test of those lymph nodes and found all three were cancerous. So the surgeon comes out and tells us the cancer "got out" and there is no curative treatment for him. He said that it actually was bladder cancer but it manifested in the ureter. I am stunned by this information. I want to do anything I can for him. We live near Philadelphia, but I have considered flying to Florida to get him into the Mayo Clinic. Is this the best option, does anyone know where I can take him for the most up to date treatment? The surgeon guessed he had about a year to live. He is not in any pain right now? He still has his bladder, he is walking around, laughing, talking? He didn't even take pain medicine when they took his Ureter and kidney out - he was taking Tylenol!!!!! I just want to make the right decision and get him the best help to hopefully extend that 1 year prognosis as long as we can.
By the way, we are still waiting to hear back from the pathology report. They said to wait 10 days. Yesterday was 10 days and they still haven't called us back with the results. Does anyone know what I should be hoping to hear in those results. I guess they can tell us how bad the spread is and the stage, right? What key words should I be listening for when they call? Key words that will help determine the prognosis that is. I REALLY appreciate any information you can offer. I don't know where to start. Thank you.
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