At a crossroad

Posted by: Jenifer in women's issuesTis - Carcinoma in situ: "flat tumor"Ta - Noninvasive papillary carcinomaradical cystectomyneobladder or pouchcystectomyBCG on Print PDF

I'm new to the Bladder Cancer WebCafe but I have been reading many blogs and infromation from it since my diagnosis in March 2011. A great site!

I'm a 52 year old female in great health and very active. I had been diagnosed with Ta Grade 1 and  immediately started BCG. After the second biopsy the result was the same. The first biopsy the doctor had taken from 2 areas, the second biopsy from three areas. The malignancy showed up in one new area of the three. As soon as I could, I started the second treatment of BCG. 

This last biopsy had 4 areas removed. One area showed a malignancy but this one was now Tis. Of course this was a surprise and now is a big concern.

 I wonder how many other people have had this occur. I never presented with any tumors, my bladder was always inflammed and irritated looking. My original symtoms that brought me to the urologist where more UTI, but I never had a UTI.  I still suffer the BCG effects, granulomatous cystitis. 

 My crossroad is now the next step in my treatment. I've been to a surgeon for an opinion and of course he belives you take out the bladder... you eliminate the cancer. A conservative approach. However, with the statistics of this type of surgery not being so great I am very fearful. I want to continue living as close to the active lifestyle I now have.

On the other hand, I've only been through two treatments and each treatment did reduce the cancer, just not completely. Is it worth another go with some other agent? I am going for another opinion in that area too.

For now, I'm putting my story out there so that I may get some feedback from this community of survivors and fighters. I welcome your comments. 


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Annie
October 04, 2011
98.175.61.121

Hi....
I have had similar experience. I had gone through 2 rounds of BCG and had extreme burning and painful as all get out. I could not tolerate it. I am noew seeing a new Doctor and am using a new combination of chemotherapy drugs, gemzar and taxotere. Im tolerating these much better. Still burns but too badly.

JGH
November 12, 2011
98.185.17.47

I am a four rounder of BCG and 2 rounder of BCG and interferon. I'm doing much better on BCG and interferon.
I changed doctors on my last two rounds. I am at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. My physician is Doctor Schoenberg which is the best in the US.
When you have something this serious you need the best. It may be a five hour drive but I would fly across the US to see him.

mcm
May 13, 2013
50.150.127.74

I have gone through 1 years worth of bcg and now High Grade Cancer has been found.
I need to choose between
Chemo
BCG & interferon
or Removal of the bladder.
This is not in the muscle and not spread outside the bladder.
I am in great health. any recommendations?
JGH where are you now since you last comment was dated 11/12/2011 one month before I was diagnosis with bladder cancer


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