Pregnant and Newly Diagnosed

Thanks Wendy and Alyssa!
My sister decided that she wants to get a second opinion. She has an appt with a uro that has an oncology subspecialty. We'll see what that doc says.
She has no symptoms at this point (if it wasn't for the U/S, she'd have no idea that the lesion was there (perhaps a blessing in disguise)). She has had no blood in her urine and hasn't had any UTIs or bladder infections (and the frequent urination only started when she got pregnant _no surprise there...). Our concerns are will things change with pregnancy and hormones affecting her body.
I'll definitely tell her to add premature labor and bladder infections to her list of questions when she goes for the second opinion.
I'll keep in touch. Thanks so much for the helpful info...Jen

Hi

Your sister is lucky to have you!

I was diagnosed with a low grade three centimeter transitional cell carcinoma three weeks after I gave birth. I belive that I had the tumor for some time. From the first time I saw blood in my urine to the tumor removal six years had lapsed. In fact I had three pregnancies during those six years and now I have three beautiful children! However, during all three of my pregnancies I struggled with bladder infections. I carried my first child for 40 weeks despite reoccurrent infections that gave me a lot of contractions. My second pregnancy ended at 34 weeks when my water broke suddenly as a result of a UTI. I watched my son struggle to live and thank God he did! When I mustered up the courage to have number three I again suffered from reoccurent bladder infections along with reoccurent blood in my urine. At 29 weeks I went into labor. I laid on bed rest for the next 7 weeks and delivered my second son full term. When I sat in the urology office two weeks later I was shocked to hear that I had a low grade tumor. I broke down. I had a baby to take care of! From looking at the tumor he thought it was low grade and he was right. I was lucky.

I have two concerns with your sister waiting to have the tumor removed. First, what if the doctor is wrong? what if the tumor isn't low grade? Many people have been misdiagnosed. I would want that tumor out! Secondly, I fear she may suffer from premature labor due to the tumor harboring bacteria. I don't know her personality but if she is at all like me stress willl be an issue also. Having a premature baby is heart wrenching.

I f I were your sister I would want the tumor removed under epidural anesthesia. There is actually another woman on this site who you could find in the storyboard who had a tumor removed during her pregnancy under epidural anesthisia. Feel free to contact me if you wish.

Good luck
Alyssa

Hi,

Have you read Tom and Alana's story? She was dxed while pregnant, but with a more aggressive tumor type, and they also waited:
blcwebcafe.org/stories/young_tas.asp

I know that uros can be very accurate at guessing what type of bladder tumor they're looking at (aggressive or not)...but the only study conducted used people who had already been diagnosed and had a recurrence, thus the doctors had some clue as to what the history was.

If your sister is up to having another cystoscopy I'd say it might be wise to get another opinion. Opinions differ, experience really counts, and 2nd opinions are standard when the diagnosis is cancer.

Perhaps nothing would change as per the current advise to wait, skip a biopsy, yes she would need to be put under for that....so....

I'm sorry to read about yet another young woman who is pregnant get diagnosed with bladder cancer. Though rare, she is not alone, and like Alana did, she will almost certainly get through this and be fine.

There is some interesting new info about "watching and waiting" instead of immediate treatment for low grade, Ta (or T0) tumors, here:
blcwebcafe.org/superficialblca.asp
Keep in touch,
Wendy

My sister had a cystoscopy today after her OB found a lesion on her bladder during a routine 1st trimester ultrasound. I'm searching around on-line trying to find resources for her. After the scope, the urologist said it was a low-grade, superficial transitional cell carcinoma (was only on the bladder lining). The doc ran some tumor identification urine test and called to tell her it was "0" (which he said was good). He recommended that she wait until after she gives birth (in 5 months) and they'll remove it then. He didn't conduct a biopsy said it didn't matter (risk of any issue arising from the biopsy outweighed getting results from a biopsy) and didn't recommend any follow up for the remainder of her pregnancy. He said that he wants to remove it, but that based on the urine tests, U/S results (no change in size from a month ago) that it is not necessary to undergo the pain of removing it now without anesthetic while pregnant. Overall, based on what he saw, he doesn't seem that concerned.
Anyone here gone through this? I'd like to recommend this website to her as a resource?
Also...What questions should she ask the doc? Should she have a 2nd opinion on the waiting to remove it?
TIA