Really scared

4 years 9 months ago #57839 by drainman
Replied by drainman on topic Really scared
Hello Marco I had five years ago stage two grade three muscle invasive Bladder cancer .My tumor was 3.7 centimeters.Two Urologist Surgeons said i had to have my Bladder and Prostate I said no so I had the Tumor removed and then went to an oncologist who specialized in Bladder ,Prostate and Kidney Cancer.He gave me 5 weeks of Maximum dose Chemo and the a two week break with another two weeks of deadly dose Chemo during that same time period and after I did thirty seven days of radiation treatments.I was given a death date of October 2015 but I am still alive.My fingers and toes are partially numb and I have really loud noise in my head all the time.I still work full time as I am very strong physically.I am 58 years old and try not to think about when the cancer is coming back as I am told it will some day.Just try to understand that you have to be stubborn and fight to keep strong.If you get chemo no matter how sick you feel really stay away from being in bed.Just be the worst customer your cancer ever had and keep going forward.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Marco

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4 years 9 months ago #57800 by Alan
Replied by Alan on topic Really scared
You know NOTHING until the TURB is done with the pathology report.

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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4 years 9 months ago #57797 by Marco
Replied by Marco on topic Really scared
Hi everyone
I received my ultrasound report. It states I have a soft tissue mass with a cystic area. Anyone familar with this terminology...just another way to say bladder tumor? I have my TURBT on Tuesday and was curious the meaning of this.

Thanks
Marco

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4 years 9 months ago #57753 by Marco
Replied by Marco on topic Really scared
Thanks Sara for quick response and your energy to answering everyones questions. The waiting is painful.

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4 years 9 months ago #57752 by sara.anne
Replied by sara.anne on topic Really scared
Marco, the answer to most of your questions (and you know this) is "it depends." To be a little more specific, a "mushroom-like" tumor is a papillary tumor. These can be either low grade or high grade and this requires pathological examination of the tumor to determine. High grade tumors have cells with a very abnormal-looking appearance and a large number of which are dividing. Low grade tumors have cells that are more "normal" in appearance and only small numbers of weird and dividing cells. The size of the tumor is probably more likely to be related to when it was discovered rather than grade. Don't think patient's age has much to do with it nor does the presence of obvious symptoms, which sometimes are due to the location of the tumor in the bladder.

CIS (carcinoma in situ) is another manifestation of malignant transitional cells from the bladder lining. It shows up as a sort of rash on the bladder surface, and because it is not tumor-like it is sometimes missed on an initial TURB (one reason a second TURB is often done.) It can present alone or along with the papillary form. CIS is always high grade.

You really WON'T know what you are facing until you have the TURB and get the path report back. THEN you can face whatever it is with some knowledge.

I know that the waiting is difficult, but try not to worry about all the what-ifs and the odds and the possibilities. Most of them do not apply to you!!!

Sara Anne

Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator

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4 years 9 months ago #57750 by Marco
Replied by Marco on topic Really scared
Question: are the following true statements?
1) mushroom like tumors with a stem are generally papillary tumors Ta? Not CIS which are flat in appearance. Not T1 or higher.
2) smaller tumors and solitary tumors have a greater chance of being low grade.
3) smaller tumors with a stem have a greater chance of being non-muscle invasive
4) younger patients (less than 50 yrs old) with papillary tumor Ta have a greater chance of being low grade
5) patients with no symptoms (no blood urine or frequent urination, etcc) have a greater chance of being low grade.
6) mushroom type tumors in bladder are rarely benign

I know every cancer is different for every person, however just trying to better understand the path and risks.

Marco

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