After two years of occasional haematuria (my doctor and I thought it was just bladder infections) I finally insisted on an ultrasound. Three tumours – one large and two small were discovered. It was non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma. I was not expecting this. After all, I don't fit the usual profile for bladder cancer ( I'm a 56 year old non-smoking female).
I had a transurethral resection in Canada almost three months ago but have since moved to Mexico where I will need to continue treatment. My doctor here will be doing another cystoscopy in about three weeks followed by BCG and also a vaccine, a new treatment, using anti-bodies from my urine. It has shown a lot of success in preventing recurrence.
I would advise any woman having haematuria never to always assume it's just another bladder infection!