Metatastic Bladder Cancer

Metastatic Bladder Cancer

From the American Cancer Society

What Is Metastatic Cancer? Local, Regional, and Distant (Metastatic) Spread of Cancer
Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from its primary site (the part of the body in which it developed) to other parts of the body. If cells break away from a cancerous tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body. There, they may settle and form "colony" tumors. In their new location, the cancer cells continue growing. The spread of a tumor to a new part of the body is called metastasis. It is important to understand the difference between metastasis and local spread, because they affect a patient's prognosis (the outlook for chances of survival) and treatment options in different ways. Local spread means that a growing cancer extends beyond the organ in which it developed, into nearby organs and tissues. For example, the cervix (lower part of the uterus or womb) is located in front of the rectum and behind the bladder. Very large cancers of the cervix may extend into the rectum or bladder. When cancer spreads, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the bones, it is still called prostate cancer, and if breast cancer spreads to the lungs it is still breast cancer. Read More

From the University of Florida’s Shand Cancer Center

Overview Patients with stage IV bladder cancer have cancer that has extended through the bladder wall and invaded the pelvic and/or abdominal wall and/or has lymph node involvement and/or spread to distant sites. Stage IV bladder cancer is also referred to as "metastatic" bladder cancer.

From Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

First-line treatment for metastatic bladder cancer includes both standard chemotherapeutic regimens as well as novel drug regimens that are available to patients enrolled in clinical trials

From the National Cancer Institute

Are new treatments for metastatic cancer being developed? Yes, many new cancer treatments are under study. To develop new treatments, the NCI sponsors clinical (research studies) with cancer patients in many hospitals, universities, medical schools, and cancer centers around the country. Clinical trials are a critical step in the improvement of treatment. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct studies to find out whether the treatment is both safe for patients and effective against the disease. The results of such studies have led to progress not only in the treatment of cancer, but in the detection, diagnosis and prevention of the disease as well. Patients interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor.