Follow up after initial surgery

Bladder Cancer
#1

I had turpbladder. i have had cysto every 4 months now for a year. i had non invasive superficial. i just had the cystoscope exam, normal BUT now the urine cytology comes back “atypical” DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS??? I’m scared and can’g get straingt answers.

#2

From my experience “atypical” means there is something different about it but they can’t be sure. Cancer cells are small and they can look at a bunch of different cells under the microscopes and not see it all. The more they examine the better. Atypical could also mean that there are some dying cancer cells that are reacting to the treatment. I really wouldn’t worry too much. (easy to say I know).

SHERIDAN

#3

Atypical doesn’t necessarily mean cancerous. In fact, many things can
produce atypical cells, including exercise, bladder infections, kidney
stones, etc. Cytology is pretty good at identifying cancer cells, so if the
results didn’t specifically show cancer, then you may be okay.

-----Original Message-----
From: msg1 [mailto:bladder-cancer-cpt7220@lists.careplace.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2007 10:04 PM
To: crilly@dcn.org
Subject: [bladder-cancer] follow up after initial surgery

#4

I am a newbie, so i odnt know exactlty where to post this…
3 months ago I had a tumor resected from the bladder…Biopsy aid it was T1 , but high grade 3/4… No muscle tissue was identified in the biopsy…Cscans, all blood tets, Xrays showed no other cancers…
The URO said he “took it all out”, but it usually comes back…
I consulted with an ONCO , and she said “the UROs can’t take it al out…the instrumnet is too small”, and she wanted to start chemo right away… 6 sessions…I asked about intrvesical chemo,and she said “it doesn’t work”… I am trying to avoid heavy chemo.
7 weeks later, I started BCG, but after 2 treatments, bleeding started…so they stopped, did a cyto, and found a tumor…this was done by a different URO than the first, so he did not know if it was the same tumor ( I go to a clinic where several UROs work on different shifts).
So they are going to do another resection Monday.My concern is this thing coming back so quickly

  1. How soon should one start BCG? They may have delayed it too long… Dr Lamm’s office person says you can start in 2 weeks after the surgery
  2. Recently I read about Taxotere intravesically, as being more effective than BCG. I live in S. Cal…where do I find out a doc that does it?
  3. I also heard about one single treatmnet with Photodynamic Therapy was effective, on a site called www. cancerconsultants.com Again, I cant find docs that do it here, in S. calfiornia.
  4. i discussed a PARTIAL cystectomy with the uRO…he did not favor the idea…hes talking about total removal of the bladder, which is heavy surgery… Money is not his motive, since he can’t do it…he have to send me out. At firts he said we can do another resection, and keep doing bCG…I have heard rom peop[el who had the tumnor come abck twice, but kept having resections, and BCG, and finally they are tumor free ( at least for now)
    Any suggestions would help
#5

I am not sure when you put this message on, but one thing I think you need to do (if you haven’t done it already) is get ONE oncology urologist you can trust and deal with him or her only. I think something is wrong when one urologist finds no tumors and another finds a tumor. They don’t sprout up that fast!

You can read my messages on this site and see what I have gone through (and come out OK) or you can email me directly at heidi90065@yahoo.com and I will be glad to answer any questions.

Best wishes to you.

SHERIDAN