Bladder Cancer (cont.)
Treatment for bladder cancer
Staging
If bladder cancer is diagnosed, the doctor needs to know the stage, or
extent, of the disease to plan the best treatment. Staging is a careful attempt
to find out whether the cancer has invaded the bladder wall, whether the disease
has spread, and if so, to what parts of the body.
The doctor may determine the stage of bladder cancer at the time of
diagnosis, or may need to give the patient more tests. Such tests may include
imaging tests -- CT scan,
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
sonogram, intravenous pyelogram, bone scan, or chest x-ray. Sometimes staging is not
complete until the patient has surgery.
These are the main features of each stage of the disease:
- Stage 0 -- The cancer cells are found only on the
surface of the inner lining of the bladder. The doctor may call this
superficial cancer or carcinoma in situ.
- Stage I -- The cancer cells are found deep in the
inner lining of the bladder. They have not spread to the muscle of the
bladder.
- Stage II -- The cancer cells have spread to the
muscle of the bladder.
- Stage III -- The cancer cells have spread through the muscular wall of the
bladder to the layer of tissue surrounding the bladder. The cancer cells may
have spread to the prostate (in men) or
to the uterus or vagina (in women).
- Stage IV -- The cancer extends to the wall of the abdomen or to the wall of
the pelvis. The cancer cells may have spread to lymph nodes and other parts of
the body far away from the bladder, such as the lungs.
Treatment
Many people with bladder cancer want to take an active part in decisions
about their medical care. They want to learn all they can about their disease
and their treatment choices. However, the shock and stress that people often
feel after a diagnosis of cancer can make it hard for them to think of
everything they want to ask the doctor. Often it helps to make a list of
questions before an appointment. To help remember what the doctor says, patients
may take notes or ask whether they may use a tape recorder. Some patients also
want to have a family member or friend with them when they talk to the doctor --
to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.
The doctor may refer patients to doctors who specialize in treating cancer,
or patients may ask for a referral. Treatment generally begins within a few
weeks after the diagnosis. There will be time for patients to talk with the
doctor about treatment choices, get a second opinion, and learn more about
bladder cancer.
Getting a second opinion
Before starting treatment, a patient may want to get a second opinion about
the diagnosis, the stage of cancer, and the treatment plan. Some insurance
companies require a second opinion; others may cover a second opinion if the
patient requests it. Gathering medical records and arranging to see another
doctor may take a little time. In most cases, a brief delay does not make
treatment less effective.
There are a number of ways to find a doctor for a second opinion:
- The doctor may refer patients to one or more
specialists. Specialists who treat bladder cancer include surgeons,
urologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and urologic
oncologists. At cancer centers, these doctors often work together as a team.
- The Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER, can tell callers about
treatment facilities, including cancer centers and other programs supported by
the National Cancer Institute.
- People can get the names of specialists from their
local medical society, a nearby hospital, or a medical school.
- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has
a list of doctors who have met certain education and training requirements and
have passed specialty examinations. The Official ABMS Directory of Board
Certified Medical Specialists
lists doctors' names along with their specialty and their educational
background. The directory is available in most public libraries. Also, ABMS
offers this information on the Internet at http://www.abms.org. (Click on "Who's
Certified.")
Preparing for treatment
The doctor develops a treatment plan to fit each patient's needs. Treatment
depends on the type of bladder cancer, the stage of the disease, and the grade
of the tumor. (The grade tells how closely the cancer cells resemble normal
cells. It suggests how fast the cancer is likely to grow. Low-grade cancers
usually grow and spread more slowly than high-grade cancers.) The doctor also
considers other factors, including the patient's age and general health.
These are some questions a patient may want to ask the doctor before
treatment begins:
- What kind of bladder cancer do I have?
- What is the stage of the disease? Has the
cancer spread?
- What is the grade of the tumor?
- What are my treatment choices? Which do you
recommend for me? Why?
- What are the expected benefits of each kind of
treatment?
- What are the risks and possible side effects of
each treatment?
- What is the treatment likely to cost? Is this
treatment covered by my insurance plan?
- How will treatment affect my normal activities?
|
People do not need to ask all of their questions or understand all of the
answers at once. They will have other chances to ask the doctor to explain
things that are not clear and to ask for more information.
Next: Methods of treatment »
- bcg vaccine-chemotherapeutic, Theracys - Consumer information about the medication BCG VACCINE - CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC (Theracys), includes side effects, drug interactions, recommended dosages, and storage information. Read more about the prescription drug BCG VACCINE - CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC.
- CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography) - CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography, CAT scan) is a procedure that assists in diagnosing tumors, fractures, bony structures, and infections in the organs and tissues of the body.
- Blood in Urine - Get information on causes, testing, diagnosis and treatment of blood in urine (hematuria). Causes include cancer, kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and an enlarged prostate.
Latest Medical News
Cancer RSS