Were do I begin.

Hi Cathy,

Are they planning to treat the upper tract with BCG too? Otherwise I can't understand what's happening. I though the kidney and ureter were suspicious for cancer as well as the bladder definitely having cancer.

I'm totally stumped.
Wendy

Pat, thank you for your input, the more I am thinking about it, the angrier I am getting, the rollercoaster continues, we relise that the r/c is a big deal & had prepared for it, to be told on the day of surgery that there was a change of plans, when the bcg & chemo had been given as an option with the risk of progression whilst having treatment & that it wouldnt work if muscle is involved, Dad didnt take this option he took the r/c option, even signed a concent, had pre op & was marked for stoma, I just cant believe that on the day of surgery they change there mind to try one last ditch effert to save the bladder only to go in there & find more tumor in bladder & L urita.

Am I being too negative & could this be a good thing that this guy from the UK wants to see if he can at least try Bcg, I dont know much about it as it really hasnt been offered before, apart from Australian drs stating that if muscle is involved which as mentioned they could not rule out, that it wouldnt work and the cancer could progress further, are the Aust Dr's wrong????

Please tell me more about this BCG for treatment in stage 3 grade 3 bladder cancer. Anyones input or veiws would be much appreciated, even ideas on questions to ask.
Thanks in advance,
Cathy.

Well isn't that a nightmare. I think i shall stop complaining about my high insurance and medical bills as long as i can choose my own doctor and hospital and not be in the hands of the surgeon on duty.
By the very staging it is invasive..
Is this really your only alternative?
I hope someone else can offer something... Pat

I just spoke to Dad & he has lost count, but from what he can recall he had had 13 cysto's prior to 2005 two of which had tumors, so 2 x turb's & he has had about 11 cysto's since the begining of 2005 of which 7 had shown tumors, 7 x turbs, so he has had about 24 cysto's & about 9 turbs. I hope this clarifies any confusion.
Cathy

ok to clarify, he has had bladder cancer for around 16 years, he was under a top professor for the first 5 years or so (he retired)and in the begining had tumor removed, hospital stay about 5 days, cysto & turb at 3 months, another cysto 3 months (clear) another cysto at six months ( clear ) another at six months
( clear ) pushed cysto's out to yearly till he was clear for 10 years. New uro took over for those last 6 years. Symptoms returned about 3 years ago, bladder infection, thought they better do a cysto to check with dads history, found aggressive tumor, turb. cysto at 3 months (clear) cysto at 6 months (clear) cysto at 6 months agressive tumor, turb, then cystos every 3 to 4 months for the past 2 years, with more tumors being found on & off in that time, turbs.
This uro retired so he seen a new uro in about may or june, he said that there was no point going in all the time and just doing cysto's & turbs as the tumors may have spread into the kidney & other areas. Tests, scans etc, showed cancer cells in urine, cancer in bladder & L urita. Said he may have to have his L kidney out, sent Dad in for cysto, bi-op & turb. had to wait 6 weeks to get in, they went in found what they belived to be invasive bladder tumor, sent for path & said that they may need to take bladder. Results came back grade 3/ stage 3 as far as they could tell from path it didnt look to be into the muscle, but as it was explained to us this muscle involement could not be ruled out as they couldnt be sure of the urita. Gave Dad the options of:
1 chemo into bladder/BCG but said
*It could still progess whilst on chemo
*It wouldnt work if there was muscle involvement.

2 Surgery, R/C

3 Radiotherapy this option was crossed out as she said it wouldnt work.

So from discussing the risks, pros & cons, Dad decided that the only option was bladder removal, as agreed with by the Dr.

A couple of weeks later he had his pre op, was marked for surgery & was given his bowel prep. 2 weeks till surgery, the rest is explained in the first post above.

Just got of the phone to my sister, who is still there, he has been moved & will proberly be in till Sunday now.

As to another dr taking over the surgery it goes like this, In Australia we have private health or medicare (public), mum & dad did have private cover for a number of years, but no longer have it, so in the public system you dont get to chose your surgern, so for other words you get the specialist that is on duty at the time of your op. Dad is 64 & will be 65 at christmas.

30 cystos and turbs? And another doctor took over for your doctor? How could that be? Have you been in contact with the Australian doctor? How old is your father?
I'm baffled? Pat