Attachment NCCN_guidelines_for_bladder.zip not found
Here are the updated NCCN guidelines. These are the guidelines that urologists use to determine treatment. The first options for treatment, when there are multiple, are listed in order of preference.
This is partly what I based my patient treatment guidelines on but I did them at a much higher level because the NCCN version are a bit tricky to follow. I would suggest printing them out because it is easier to flip back and forth that way.
Mike
Here is a link so you can view it on the site:
www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/bladder.pdf
You may need to join (for free) in order to be able to see it.
I was able to post it here as a zip file. You should be able to click it and download it to your PC. Then double-click the file to open it, select the file inside the folder and double click that to open it for reading/printing.
THIS SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR ANYONE WITH BLADDER CANCER. IT HAS TONS OF INFORMATION ON THE RECOMMENDED TREATMENT PROTOCOLS. PRINT IT OUT AND USE IT WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO DISCUSS YOUR TREATMENT. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TERMS, LOOK THEM UP ON LINE. THIS IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, WHAT EVERY BLADDER CANCER PATIENT SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND. IF YOUR DOCTOR WANT'S TO DEVIATE FROM THESE GUIDELINES, YOU'RE QUESTION SHOULD BE "Why do want to deviate from the NCCN recommended protocol? Does your treatment plan have better outcomes than those described here?".
Personally, I don't think they give Dr. Lamm enough credit and think it will only be a matter of time before his recommended maintenance schedule becomes the standard, but other than that this document is really great.
Mike