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I think I am one of the lucky ones because my cancer was caught very early. I have non invasive papillary and will have my first check up in Dec.
The doctor cauterized the site while doing the biopsy and I have really not heard many people talk about that as a type of procedure.
I have checked out several forums and am trying to get as much information as possible which is sometimes a blessing and curse as well.
Anxious to learn more
Welcome to BCAN
Glad to hear your biopsy showed non-invasive.
Do you know the grade of the tumor(s)
Papillary tumors are graded either 1-3 or low grade or high grade. This information will be given on your pathology report.
Good luck with your check up in Dec.
Jack
Welcome Vgau, You've found a caring and knowledgeable place to land. Please learn all about our Parent site, Click on the BCAN logo or the links to your right. Bladder Cancer Basics for the newly diagnosed is an excellent booklet to request be sent to you.
Bladder Cancer is a highly recurrent cancer. Often the doctor can cauterize tiny growths, but the safest thing to do is to send samples for testing for proper definition of stage and grade. cauterized tissue is not good for staging purposes.
Many patients can go some time with no treatment, but if the recurrence of tumors escalates, then BCG treatment, for noninvasive tumors with low risk staging, is the normal next step.
Read as many of the discussions and journals as you can. There's a wealth of information for you to glean here.
We also recommend that you are working with a very experienced bladder cancer urologist. This cancer needs an experienced eye watching over you.
Karego
I did not share your experience, but wanted to extend a welcome! There are so many members here, I hope someone can give you useful feedback.
Hi -
So glad you were caught early - you're right, you're one of the lucky ones.
Hope you enjoy the site here - it's full of caring people who have all been through bladder cancer and are more than willing to share their experiences.
I wasn't as lucky (it took 4 years for a diagnosis) so I have the bag now and am quite happy with it.
Eileen
You're right, so much information can sometimes feel like a curse. But, information for the cancer patient...... it is my opinion that it is absolutely necessary. If you want the best care, you have to be proactive. The medical professionals we have to deal with are also human and make mistakes. My uro forgot to order a CT scan. I knew I should have one and asked. He must have thought I was senile, because he pounded his computer and almost tore his folder apart, before he would believe the test had never been ordered.
Karego has given you help on gathering information, so I just want to say welcome, but I am sorry you have the need to be here.
Memi
Hi vgau and welcome.
After they biopsy they always have to cauterize the site, so I suspect the uro would have sent the biopsies in to get a pathology report which could take up to a week to get back.
I have had small tumors cauterized in the office, and there will be nothing to send for pathology.
Take care,
Kyle
Not sure what they cauterized but cancer should be cut out, sent to the pathologist. Your check ups should be every three months until you are cancer free for 3 years then every 6 months for another two, Anytime cancer is found the 5 year count starts over. Once you reach 5 years cancer free then you go to annual check ups, but some urologists will do one of 3 urine tests mid-year . You will always need to have follow ups.
Non-invasive cancer patients should also have periodic IVPs. (dye injected into your arm then repeated timed films of your kidneys ureters and bladder taken). This shows kidney filtration function, draining, and out lines the urinary tract to be certain you do not have cancer in other parts of your urinary tract, an occurence which is not uncommon.
So being successful with cancer is vigilence through regular cystos, urine tests and periodic ivp's.
Some times folks will get second opinions if they get recurrences, I chose to do that, and found there were several things missing in my care. My first uro was very cavalier about my care cancer, (non invasive, no bit sweat) but I found later that she was not meeting the standards,
Good luck to you, you will learn a great deal here from peoples experiences, and be prompted to be a proactive patient through learning. This is a wonderful bunch of folks
NancyN
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