Probability of recurrence

My recurrence was detected during my first follow 04/08 up when the urologist did a biopsy of the prior site. My cytology and fish test results were both negative. The lab showed dysplasia for the biopsy however my uro sent the sample to Hopkins for another review which the pathologist said he saw focal CIS. My uro then took a larger sample about two weeks later, the local hospital saw no cancer in the biopsy sample however Hopkins saw the CIS again. I started BCG and after 30 treatments have not had a recurrence. First DX in December 2007. I am being followed at Hopkins and have not had a fish test with any of my follow ups.

Joey

I've been reading the medscape site and they mention that the 'FISH' cytology is possibly better at detecting recurrence. They also mention that different wavelength light makes it easier to detect recurrence during a cystoscopy. Do any of you ask your urologist about these? Or do you go along with whatever he or she is currently using?

On another note altogether, it worries me that if this is going on inside my body, what else is happening? I know there's no way to answer that, but it bugs me. I can see how people get paranoid over this and try for full body scans. There's no way I'm going down that path, but it has shaken my confidence in my inner workings. I'm sure I'll get over this and I suspect many of you have the same fears...

Glad you found our site. As you read through the other posts you will see, unfortunately, bladder cancer is sneaky and does return. Now for the good news! If you keep up with your three month checks it will be discovered early and there are
a lot of options.
I was diagnosed with bladder cancer 2006 - Pathology was Non Invasive Ta. Had my three month check-ups and a year later CIS was discovered. Because of the frequent checks, it was caught early. I did 24 BCG washes and just recently had my five year cysto and I have been cancer free for 5 years.

What I learned from this site over the last 6 years is that bladder cancer is a journey not a sprint. Stay on top of all your check-ups and keep learning information about bladder cancer.
Good luck and feel free to ask any of your questions, you will find a wealth of support here.

Nancy

Jswim,

I was DX last Christmas and have been doing the 3 month check ups ever since. The good thing is that you might never have to do anything else. The bad thing is that if you don't keep getting checked the evil will grow and you will never know it until its to late.

Lets just thank God that you caught it in time.

If you want to know what a check-up is like, just go over to the Blog side of the site and read my Blog called "The Visit". Its done with a little humor (very little) but it dose describe how it goes pretty well.

Keep up the good work!

Mark

jswim

It's the 3 month checkups that are the key. Every three months you must go in and have them take a good look inside the baldder.
I am surprised they didn't recomend any BCG treatments. They must have found this very early indeed, and are positive you are on your way to being cancer free.

Please make sure you are rechecked every 3 months! You are correct when you say that this cancer is a recurring bastard. Keep it at bay with regular checkups.

At a certain point, if it keeps coming back, you can keep treating it with BCG on a regular basis. Or you can be like Mike and decide to "get it out of there" with a radical cystectomy.

But none of this applies now. Keep those checkups going and remain cancer free. We don't want you coming here and giving us bad news!!

We do want you around...... cancer free...... and happy.

George

I recently had a TURBT for a small, low grade, non-invasive transitional cell carcinoma. The urologist recommends rechecks at every 3 months for the next two years with no other treatment unless something else is found. I'm okay with that from what I've read.

But what I haven't found is much information on probability of recurrence. I know it is high, but then what? If something else is found, are you likely to continue to find more? Does it spiral onward? Or do you have these for a while and then it stops?

I'm a middle-aged, non-smoking male with no other risk factors.

thanks for any insight.