brand new DX

nancys
nancys Member Posts: 323
edited March 2014 in Bladder Cancer #1
Hello everyone, I am a BC sruvivor and I have used the BC forum many times in the past. It helps so much to talk to others who have experienced cancer and understand the fear and the anxiety we go through. My husband just had an internal bladder exam and the urologist found a small tumor the size of the head of a match. The urologist told my husband that he was almost sure it was cancer. Next step is to have the small tumor removed and biopsied...very soon, I hope. There is always the waiting game to be played....Can you give me any advice at this point..what questions to ask, any further tests I should insist on? I have researched most of the medical websites and they give lots of information about infiltrating bladder cancer but very little about newly DX'd.One big question I have is: if later down this road, there must be a more serious surgery, do they remove lymph nodes and if so has there been any problems with the lymph node removal. I know I wish I had kept the lymph nodes in my underarm and not had to worry about lymphedema. Anything you can tell me is appreciated VERY MUCH...Nancy

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • ekusel
    ekusel Member Posts: 4
    #3
    With the size of the tumor there may not be much of a problem. Usually the first step is to instill BCG into the bladder for 6 weeks (That is after the initial TUR-BT--That is, TransUrethral Resection for Bladder Tumor). The BCG is usually done in the doctor's office and is well tolerated by the greatest majority of patients. It has worked to completely obliterate the cancer in most patients. This is, however, a lifelong process with checking of the bladder as often as every three months and extending to longer lenghths of time if no new growths are found. The BCG didn't work for me, but I do believe I am the exception rather than the rule.
    I found the best place to get the most information is blcwebcafe.com.
    God bless your husband and best of luck to you both.
  • nancys
    nancys Member Posts: 323
    #4
    MrsRich1, Thank you so much for the encourging and informative reply. I have been checking the site daily. The resection will occur on Monday as an outpatient. I know we are in for a long wait and see situation. The exam, the cystopy is painful for my husband and I am going to try to find out if there is anything that can help him with that examination. I have had it done and it was uncomfortable and burning but not painful. I think it may be harder for a man to tolerate. Thank you again for taking time to respond. I hope you are doing well. I do think cancer is the most cureable of all chronic diseases, if caught early. Let me know how you are doing. Nancy
  • nancys
    nancys Member Posts: 323
    #5
    My husband had the cystocopy today with GREAT results. No tumor was found. The Urologist that was so sure there was a tumor in the baldder found nothing but sediment which he cleaned out and brought to me to see. We still do not know why this Urologist was so sure there was a tumor or why he would tell us it would be cancer. That question and answer appt. will be at his office. Thank you again for replying to my questions. You helped with the worry quite a lot. Nancy
  • Military
    Military Member Posts: 31
    #6
    This process is similar to everyone diagnosed with a small tumor in the bladder. If it is determined to be cancerous he will have to make a decision as to what procedure he wants. Note however, not all tumors are cancerous. The benefit of finding a tumor of such a size early is that the cancer has probably not progressed into the muscles and lymph nodes. I had such surgery and fortunately the cancer did not progress to this point before surgery at USC Norris. In fact, I did not have to undergo chemo or radiation. It is now over 3+ years and everything is still OK.
  • nancys
    nancys Member Posts: 323
    #7
    Military said:

    This process is similar to everyone diagnosed with a small tumor in the bladder. If it is determined to be cancerous he will have to make a decision as to what procedure he wants. Note however, not all tumors are cancerous. The benefit of finding a tumor of such a size early is that the cancer has probably not progressed into the muscles and lymph nodes. I had such surgery and fortunately the cancer did not progress to this point before surgery at USC Norris. In fact, I did not have to undergo chemo or radiation. It is now over 3+ years and everything is still OK.

    Thank you Military for your reply. We are having quite a problem now, after the hospital cystocopy. My husband had the procedure on Monday, 10/09 and here it is 10/15 and he still cannot urinate. The Urologist did not find a tumor in the bladder but did find sediment and removed that. The Urologist now calls this sediment, stones. He showed them to me and they resembled sand granules. My husband started flomax 5 days ago but that has not helped as of tonight. He is doing a self cathater and I am so worried about all this. We see the Urologist again tomorrow and I am thinking about taking my husband to Mayo if this is not resolved tomorrow with more information than we have received so far. the Urologist tells us that the procedure got the prostrate swollen and that is the problem. Will post what we find out tomorrow. If this has happened to anyone else here on the discussion board, please tell me how the problem was resolved. Thanks to everyone, Nancy

Discussion Boards