bladder cancer

gravel

I was diagnosed in Jan. with bladder cancer and was told that they got it all and I didn't need any chemo. On apr. 24th had to go in for a biopsy and they told me it came back and now I need at least 6 weeks of treatment. I was told the treatment is not the ordinary chemo. where you lose your hair and get sick. Its supposed to be given right thru the bladder. Did anyone ever hear of this? I am so afraid and disgusted since being told it was fine to now being told I need 6 weeks of treatment.And I too , cannot stop smoking.He told me if I continue to smoke I will die from it.

daddyslildoll

My dad had that type of Chemo BGC Immunotherpy. It worked well for about 2 years. You need to quit smoking!! You and my dad! He is now 80 and still smokes like a chimney! They told him the same thing. After all, that is what caused it. TCC Transitional Cell Carcinoma. My dad cancer was totally caused from smoking for the last 70 years. That is a reoccuring cancer. It lays quit for a while and then it comes out. Smoking only encourages the transitional cells to surface again. I hope I convinced you to stop smoking. Now I wish I could convice my dad. The treatment itself doesn't hurt. Dad never even had any side effect. We used to go to the casino after. That used to make both of us happy. Unfortunatly, dad lost his bladder in February. Radical Cystectomy. No chemo No radation! The cancer was confined to his bladder. Microscopically speaking, It could take 6 month or 6 years for any cells to come out again. But his smoking sure doesn't help. His smoking is only feeding those cells telling them to come out. My bigger question is after all the surgerys he's had where does that type of cancer go from there? 2 years ago he lost a kidney and ureter TCC instead of it hitting his bladder then, it waited 2 years and came back and really attacked his bladder. This time for good. But still in all, he adjust very well to his ileit conduit. I help him or my mother does. I love him so much I just wish he would stop smoking.

bessybug

daddyslildoll said:

My dad had that type of Chemo BGC Immunotherpy. It worked well for about 2 years. You need to quit smoking!! You and my dad! He is now 80 and still smokes like a chimney! They told him the same thing. After all, that is what caused it. TCC Transitional Cell Carcinoma. My dad cancer was totally caused from smoking for the last 70 years. That is a reoccuring cancer. It lays quit for a while and then it comes out. Smoking only encourages the transitional cells to surface again. I hope I convinced you to stop smoking. Now I wish I could convice my dad. The treatment itself doesn't hurt. Dad never even had any side effect. We used to go to the casino after. That used to make both of us happy. Unfortunatly, dad lost his bladder in February. Radical Cystectomy. No chemo No radation! The cancer was confined to his bladder. Microscopically speaking, It could take 6 month or 6 years for any cells to come out again. But his smoking sure doesn't help. His smoking is only feeding those cells telling them to come out. My bigger question is after all the surgerys he's had where does that type of cancer go from there? 2 years ago he lost a kidney and ureter TCC instead of it hitting his bladder then, it waited 2 years and came back and really attacked his bladder. This time for good. But still in all, he adjust very well to his ileit conduit. I help him or my mother does. I love him so much I just wish he would stop smoking.

My dad had his bladder, 1 kidney, and prostate removed 2 years ago. He tried to do chemo right after that as a preventitive, but it made him deathly sick. He is 74 and a diabetic. He decided to take his chances. Well, it took about 1 1/2 years, and it showed back up in October. It has spread to his urethra, and in the area where the prostate used to be. The dr. said surgery was not an option due to the tumor being tied in with some tissue in the rectal area. So, chemo was started again in January. Like the first time, he is having a terrible time. His age and diabetes condition is making it almost impossible for him to get through the treatment. He will get it twice, then will be so sick that he can't take it again for 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes it's 1 step forward and 2 steps back. It is so hard to have to beg my father to eat and drink, when he just doesn't want to or is just too sick to. I don't know what is going to happen. If he could just make it through the chemo, maybe it will get rid of the cancer. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to handle. Oh, my dad never smoked a day in his life.

pamj

Hi, I was diagnosed with Transisitional Cell Carcinoma in my right kidney in March of 1997. I had my right kidney removed and was told that they had gotten it all, my ureter was alson removed. In July of 1997 I began have more blood in my urine and it turned out to be bladder tumors. I had my bladder scrapped and then began the bcg treatments. I had them for 6 weeks and on the 7th week when the dr looked in my bladder again I had more tumors. In august of 1997 I then had my bladder removed and have a urostomy and have been cancer free ever since. I had no bad outcome from the bcg just that it did not work on my. I wish you all the luck in the world and you are in my prayers. If I can help in any way, please feel free to contact me. I was a smoker for many years but had quit smoking 5 years before being diagosed with the cancer.

igor

Yes, I had chemo through the bladder, It was 6 weeks. I had it after tumors came back after 3 months. With bladder cancer, you have to always do your checkups for life because it has about an 80% return rate. The chemo did the trick for me so far and was not that bad.

Paco1

pamj said:

Hi, I was diagnosed with Transisitional Cell Carcinoma in my right kidney in March of 1997. I had my right kidney removed and was told that they had gotten it all, my ureter was alson removed. In July of 1997 I began have more blood in my urine and it turned out to be bladder tumors. I had my bladder scrapped and then began the bcg treatments. I had them for 6 weeks and on the 7th week when the dr looked in my bladder again I had more tumors. In august of 1997 I then had my bladder removed and have a urostomy and have been cancer free ever since. I had no bad outcome from the bcg just that it did not work on my. I wish you all the luck in the world and you are in my prayers. If I can help in any way, please feel free to contact me. I was a smoker for many years but had quit smoking 5 years before being diagosed with the cancer.

Hi. My friend was just diagnosed with bladder cancer a week ago. She will soon undergo a radical cystectomy and urostomy. Can you give her any words of advice? She is very nervous of the procedure and would love to hear from a survivor. Cancer is nothing new to her....she is a 30 year ovarian (?) cancer survivor. Please e-mail her at LexineM@aol.com...she would love to talk.

AuthorUnknown

How old are you? Where do you go for treatment? Do you have transitional cell carsonoma?

Jo Dell

AuthorUnknown

pamj said:

Hi, I was diagnosed with Transisitional Cell Carcinoma in my right kidney in March of 1997. I had my right kidney removed and was told that they had gotten it all, my ureter was alson removed. In July of 1997 I began have more blood in my urine and it turned out to be bladder tumors. I had my bladder scrapped and then began the bcg treatments. I had them for 6 weeks and on the 7th week when the dr looked in my bladder again I had more tumors. In august of 1997 I then had my bladder removed and have a urostomy and have been cancer free ever since. I had no bad outcome from the bcg just that it did not work on my. I wish you all the luck in the world and you are in my prayers. If I can help in any way, please feel free to contact me. I was a smoker for many years but had quit smoking 5 years before being diagosed with the cancer.

Can you tell me how old you? Are you male or female? You stated you have been cancer free of TCC since 1997. This is great. I am currently cancer free for one year. They have removed my right kidney, right ureter, then bladder, then numerous surgeries on left ureter. TCC working its way up the ureter. I have my left kidney and a 4 inch ureter left. What do you attribute your remission or cure?

chemkat

igor said:

Yes, I had chemo through the bladder, It was 6 weeks. I had it after tumors came back after 3 months. With bladder cancer, you have to always do your checkups for life because it has about an 80% return rate. The chemo did the trick for me so far and was not that bad.

Do you mind telling me what stage your bladder tumor was when it was diagnosed? I am 15 months out of surgery and bcg/inteferon with no reoccurences so far. Mine was stage 1 superficial but was huge.Please keep me informed on your progress as we are in this boat together.

Rottiekat

bessybug said:

My dad had his bladder, 1 kidney, and prostate removed 2 years ago. He tried to do chemo right after that as a preventitive, but it made him deathly sick. He is 74 and a diabetic. He decided to take his chances. Well, it took about 1 1/2 years, and it showed back up in October. It has spread to his urethra, and in the area where the prostate used to be. The dr. said surgery was not an option due to the tumor being tied in with some tissue in the rectal area. So, chemo was started again in January. Like the first time, he is having a terrible time. His age and diabetes condition is making it almost impossible for him to get through the treatment. He will get it twice, then will be so sick that he can't take it again for 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes it's 1 step forward and 2 steps back. It is so hard to have to beg my father to eat and drink, when he just doesn't want to or is just too sick to. I don't know what is going to happen. If he could just make it through the chemo, maybe it will get rid of the cancer. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to handle. Oh, my dad never smoked a day in his life.

hey bessy, my dad is going through the chemo right now too. He had a time with the sickness at first, but the dr gave him these pills for sickness. He gave him samples because they cost $100 each. I will call him tonight and get the name of them. Insurance will pay for them i think but i will ask that too. They are taken once a day and they will prevent all sickness, but the weakness just has to be dealt with.
My dad was scheduled for 26 weeks of chemo (6 -four week rounds) and he does ok the first week and the second, but the third he hasn't been able to take cause the dr says his blood work isn't good. Dr says it's makeing him "deathly ill" and now they cut the treatment back to 4 - four week rounds. Any idea on how this might affect the outcome of the therepy?

Rottiekat

Rottiekat said:

hey bessy, my dad is going through the chemo right now too. He had a time with the sickness at first, but the dr gave him these pills for sickness. He gave him samples because they cost $100 each. I will call him tonight and get the name of them. Insurance will pay for them i think but i will ask that too. They are taken once a day and they will prevent all sickness, but the weakness just has to be dealt with.
My dad was scheduled for 26 weeks of chemo (6 -four week rounds) and he does ok the first week and the second, but the third he hasn't been able to take cause the dr says his blood work isn't good. Dr says it's makeing him "deathly ill" and now they cut the treatment back to 4 - four week rounds. Any idea on how this might affect the outcome of the therepy?

The expensive pills to stop the sickness is called "ZOFRAM" and they are covered by insurance, but ask your dr for some samples. Take them in the morning each day - you can take up to two a day. THEY REALLY WORK !

eyes2

igor said:

Yes, I had chemo through the bladder, It was 6 weeks. I had it after tumors came back after 3 months. With bladder cancer, you have to always do your checkups for life because it has about an 80% return rate. The chemo did the trick for me so far and was not that bad.

Hi I was reading your post that you had chemo through your bladder and it did the trick. I have been getting bCG treatments that are not working I have to go in for my third surgery to remove the tumors then he said we will try another medication. How long did you have to have the chemo? Did you get any side effects. I never smoked, am female and never worked with chemicals.

chemkat

eyes2 said:

Hi I was reading your post that you had chemo through your bladder and it did the trick. I have been getting bCG treatments that are not working I have to go in for my third surgery to remove the tumors then he said we will try another medication. How long did you have to have the chemo? Did you get any side effects. I never smoked, am female and never worked with chemicals.

Hi,
I don't really know how similar our cases are but I had a chemo combo of inteferon and BCG. I was infused through a catheter once a week for 6 weeks and that was a year and a half ago and so far so good. I am having regular check-ups with cystos every 3 months at Emory and am due to go back next week. Every since my botched surgery I have had some kidney impairment and I'm going to have a renal scan to check on that. Wish me luck! If the right kidney is not functioning he said that it has to go. I have been hospitalized twice this past year for deep tissue biopsies on suspicious lesions but every pathology report came back negative. My last two cystos were fine but I still seem to have a lot of UTI's and of course that concerns me. I am so very interested in your case and thank you for contacting me. I will keep in touch and let you know how things are going with me and please let me hear from you. I don't know any other women who have had this therefore I could use a confidant.
My email address is chemkat@knology.net


Take care,
chemkat