Questions

me_and_my_mom
me_and_my_mom Member Posts: 46 Member
in Bladder Cancer #1

Hello - my husband is 50 years old, and a smoker. He was found to have microscopic blood in his urine during a routine physical. Urologist sent him for a cat scan, which was negative for all but a few nonsignificant kidney stones. He did a bladder scope in the office today and found a bladder polyp - which he said was about the size of an eraser on a pencil. He had some sort of pap smear test for cancer cells which came back negative. He is scheduled for surgery to remove the polyp next week. I am reading up on the internet, and I'm finding that most urinary bladder polyps are cancerous - while other cites say they are most often benign. I am very worried (I'm a cancer survivor and recently lost my mother to cancer - so I go to the worst case scenerios when it comes to this stuff). My question is - what are the chances that it is maliginant? And if it is, is treatment usually sucessful if caught early? If it is cancer and it has spread, would that have been found on his cat scan? Just looking for some reassurance to get me through the next week and a half. Thank you!

Carol

Comments

  • HalBo
    HalBo Member Posts: 23 Member
    #2
    Carol,

    For what it’s worth

    Carol,

    For what it’s worth my advice to you and your husband is to wait and see what the pathology is on the polyp. Usually anything that has metastasized somewhere else will be seen in the CT scan. Don’t create monsters in your head. There are enough really lurking about. My prayers will be with you. 

    Amazon has some great free apps that provide info. In the meantime do some web searches. This link might give you a start.

    http://urology.ucla.edu/workfiles/Bladder_Cancer/Bladder_Cancer_Basics_for_the_Newly_Diagnosed.pdf

     

    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

    God Bless,

    Hal

     

     

  • HalBo
    HalBo Member Posts: 23 Member
    #3
    ...some stuff I cut and pasted for you. I hope it helps.

     

    Questions to Ask Your Doctor 

    o What kind of bladder cancer do I have? 

    o How often do you treat patients in my situation? 

    o What is the stage of the disease? Has the cancer spread? 

    o What is the grade of the tumor? 

    o What are my treatment choices? Which do you recommend for me? Why? 

    o What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment? 

    o What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment? 

    o What is the treatment likely to cost? Is this treatment covered by my insurance plan? 

    o How will treatment affect my normal activities? 

    o Can I speak with a patient who has gone through this type of treatment?

     

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