Intravesical BCG/Interferon combo

paulf

I'd like to hear from anyone who has had personal experiences with having the combination of BCG and Interferon introduced into the bladder.

Canadoll

Hi There, I am getting just BCG treatment but have heard about interferon & asked my doc about it and he said it wasn't necessary. I think you are lucky that they offered it to you. I am tolerating the BCG just fine. Here is a great website regarding BCG/Interferon http://blcwebcafe.org/interferon.asp
I am going for my 3rd treatment tomorrow. Let me know how you are doing. Good luck.

paulf

Canadoll said:

Hi There, I am getting just BCG treatment but have heard about interferon & asked my doc about it and he said it wasn't necessary. I think you are lucky that they offered it to you. I am tolerating the BCG just fine. Here is a great website regarding BCG/Interferon http://blcwebcafe.org/interferon.asp
I am going for my 3rd treatment tomorrow. Let me know how you are doing. Good luck.

Hi and thanks for the blcwebcafe address. I had already read it and was very pleased that it would be available to me. Yesteray I had a tumor removal and "rollerball" cauterizing. Afterwards my bladder was filled with Mitomycin. My next treatment should be the BCG/Interferon.

I have learned that you will get the best care that your doctor is either knowledgeable or capable of giving you. My first urologist in Chattanooga said that he would have another biopsy "before taking the bladder out." I asked him if he did neobladder surgery and he said that what he did would leave me with a bag outside my body and if I wanted a neobladder he would have to send me out of town. When I showed him some information about a specialist at Emory in Atlanta (a 2-hour drive) that I had found on the internet he said that that's who I should see.

I had already made an appointment with the Atlanta doctor and after looking over all my pathology and staging reports he said that I needed to forget about having my bladder out. There were plenty of successful treatments available to me. With that, the anxiety of several months left me.

So, without trying to second guess your doctor I suggest that you get an opinion from someone at a major cancer center or a teaching hospital. By the way, I was diagnosed with high-grade TCC, stage 1. Perhaps yours is of such a low grade that BCC will be enough. Either way I suggest that you look into it with someone else if you can.

How long have you been dealing with this? What's your emotional state? I hope you have the support and concern that I've had from family and friends; it helps a lot.

Keep in touch,

Paul

cwh1147

paulf said:

Hi and thanks for the blcwebcafe address. I had already read it and was very pleased that it would be available to me. Yesteray I had a tumor removal and "rollerball" cauterizing. Afterwards my bladder was filled with Mitomycin. My next treatment should be the BCG/Interferon.

I have learned that you will get the best care that your doctor is either knowledgeable or capable of giving you. My first urologist in Chattanooga said that he would have another biopsy "before taking the bladder out." I asked him if he did neobladder surgery and he said that what he did would leave me with a bag outside my body and if I wanted a neobladder he would have to send me out of town. When I showed him some information about a specialist at Emory in Atlanta (a 2-hour drive) that I had found on the internet he said that that's who I should see.

I had already made an appointment with the Atlanta doctor and after looking over all my pathology and staging reports he said that I needed to forget about having my bladder out. There were plenty of successful treatments available to me. With that, the anxiety of several months left me.

So, without trying to second guess your doctor I suggest that you get an opinion from someone at a major cancer center or a teaching hospital. By the way, I was diagnosed with high-grade TCC, stage 1. Perhaps yours is of such a low grade that BCC will be enough. Either way I suggest that you look into it with someone else if you can.

How long have you been dealing with this? What's your emotional state? I hope you have the support and concern that I've had from family and friends; it helps a lot.

Keep in touch,

Paul

Condition
Hello Paul,
I have cancer similar to what you described and am facing the decision of having a second TUR and BCG w/interferon or having my bladder removed. I am told I am in a very gray area and that the best thing is to remove the bladder. However, I would prefer an alternative treatment if the risks warrant. I would appreciate knowing how you progressed since 2004.
Jack