My husband was initially diagnosed with, I believe it was T-1 High Grade Bladder Cancer in July 2017. He had the resection done and followed with 6 weeks of BCG. In July 2018, it came back with the same results, T-1 High Grade and 6 more weeks of BCG. In January 2019, another reocurrence. This time the treatment was a chemo wash injected in the bladder at the time of resection. This did not go well at all. We were at the ER 3 times within a couple of days due to urine retention and blood clots that he could not pass. He was hospitalized for a week and they did a continual bladder wash. During the stay in the hospital, he contracted 2 multi drug resistant organisms in his urinary tract. He wound up having to go see a Infectious Disease doctor and had a PIC line to receive daily antibiotics for 2 months, after he left the hospital.
His most recent reoccurence was in September, which meant another resection. The pathology results came back again T-1 High Grade, still non-invasive (thank God). When we went to the doctor for the follow up appointment, his recommendation was for bladder removal. My husband is only 63 years old and is devastated by this. He asked the doctor about treatments again. The doctor has agreed to allow him to go through treatments but using intravesical gemcitabine instead of the BCG. His doctor also suggested he get a 2nd opinion, which we have an appointment next week with a urologist that a friend recommended.
Anyone have information on the intravesical gemcitabine treatments? Or thoughts on when is the right time for bladder removal? He has stated he really doesn't think he can do it. I worry that it will cause him to go into a deep depression. When he was initially diagnosed with bladder cancer, he almost had a nervous breakdown.