Bladder Cancer

Question: What state has the highest bladder cancer rate in the United States? Is it South Carolina? I was told that Marlboro County, (which is in Bennettsville, South Carolina) has the highest bladder cancer rate? Does any one know if this is true?

Answer: The highest rate of bladder cancer in the US used to be in Uniontown, PA....I'm not sure now, though. The primary cause of bladder cancer is smoking tobacco.

Question: How bad is Bladder Cancer for an 84 year old woman? My Grandma has be diagnosed with Bladder Cancer at age 84. The Doctor told her that it is somewhat aggressive. She has to go for treatment every Friday for the next six weeks. Is Bladder Cancer something that you can die from easily? I am scared that she won't be around much longer. Any advise is great thanks. They are going to inject a bacteria into her bladder and that's it. No chemo. She does smoke and drink. She won'y quit smoking, she's done it for years.

Answer: "Joseph F" is right. But if you truly want the details for predicting her prognosis, you must know the stage and grade of her bladder carcinoma. Your grandma can get this information from her doctor if she wants you to have it. (patient confidentiality rules - it's her choice) When you know the stage and grade of her disease, you can look it up online via the NCI or ask us here on YA. There are a number of cancer specialty doctors and other very knowledgeable medical people on this site.

Question: How fast does bladder cancer grow? A relative of mine recently had a CT scan and a spot was noticed on her bladder. She was referred to a urologist, but the appointment was made 1 month from now! Is that too long of a wait if this is indeed cancer?

Answer: Bladder cancers are typically slow growing and about 70% are single papillary lesions that are least likely to infiltrate.

Question: What is the survival rate of someone with bladder cancer? My friend has an aggressive cancer where the bladder has to be removed. I want to give him encouragement and have searched for medical opinions. What are your experiences?

Answer: Bladder cancer is considered to be primarily a disease of older, white males and relatively rare in women, however, the prevelance of bladder cancer in women is comparable to the number of women with cervical and ovarian cancer: Total women with bladder cancer: 161,000 Total women with ovarian cancer: 175,000 Total women with cervical cancer: 184,000 It is estimated that men with bladder cancer outnumber the women by 3 or 4 to 1. The overall 5-year survival rate for women with bladder cancer is 78 percent, which is equivalent to the 10-year survival rate in men. The 10-year survival rate in women, 69 percent, is equivalent to the 15-year survival rate in men. This means that women with bladder cancer survive 5 years less than men. Delay in treatment appears to be correlated with a disproportionately higher death rate among women with bladder cancer, who are diagnosed 6 to 9 months later than men.

Question: How many poeple on here know someone who is under 40 with bladder cancer? I am almost 39 and female and never smoked in my life and have bladder cancer. It has spread to my lymp nodes.I will be seeing a specialist this week. This may not be treatable. But I just need to know if you or anyone you know has or had cancer of the bladder under 40? and it is not as rare as people say becasue I have it.

Answer: Bladder cancer under 40 years old The good news is THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING A SPECIALIST THIS WEEK. Yes, I think it is very rare, certainly nowhere in numbers to breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, testicular cancer, skin cancer, brain cancer. Medicine today is treating all kinds of cancers and getting better everyday with pharmacological advances and nutrition regimens that can enhance your immune system. Your mental attitude plays a major part in fighting the progression of the disease and recovering from any therapies. You fight it, girl. Pray. And take an active role in your condition. This means you crack open the books. You question your medical providers. You make INFORMED DECISIONS. You make the lifestyle changes that the professionals say will benefit you, such as reducing other stressors in your life. You fight it, girl. And pray. I will include you in mine.

Question: What are the symptoms of bladder cancer? For those of you who have had bladder cancer or know someone that has or had it could you please tell me what the symptoms are? I'm very worried this is what I have. thanks

Answer: my mom had bladder cancer, she had slight color of blood in her urine no pain or anything. she went to doc and they took urine sample and did test. then she had to go to a specialist the doc took an instrument and scraped the inside of her bladder and sent a biopsy in depending how much scraping they have to do you might have to have a catherder in for couple days. then if it turns out to be cancer you take treatments every week they squirt TB germs into your bladder you hold it in for couple hours you lie on your back for 15 then turn side for 15 stomach 15 side 15 back on back repeat takes about 1hour 30 min then you try going to bathroom then you have to pour bleach into toilet after you use it when you go home for 24 hours to make sure you kill the germs that was in you . go to doc if you haven't OK ! cause you can't make your own diagnosis without test go to a urinenologist

Question: Can you tell me how serious bladder cancer is? I just learned my uncle had a MRI done because blood was coming out with his urine. They said "do not count cancer out" now he and I am worried about it. Just finished breast cancer treatment with my wife and know nothing about bladder cancer. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: Blood in the urine from a malignancy could be caused by a couple things: bladder cancer or kidney cancer (usually RCC or renal cell carcinoma). For the bladder--if it is muscle invasive (that is the cancer is penetrating into the muscle of the bladder) then surgery to remove the entire bladder is the usual treatment. Chemotherapy may or may not be used. If it is non-invasive--what is called CIS (carcinoma in-situ) then usually the tumor is removed as much as possible (a maximal TURBT--transurethral resection of bladder tumor). Usually following this procedure the bladder is instilled with a chemical (BCG) to decrease the likelihood of recurrence. CIS is definitely curable and has high rates of survival (95%). Muscle invasive bladder cancer is a bit more grim--in general 50-80% of patients are alive at 5 years. For RCC--surgery is the primary treatment (removal of entire kidney). Depending on the stage chemotherapy or immunotherapy can also be used. Blood in the urine could also be benign--infection, kidney stones, side effect from drugs, etc.

Question: As far as the symptoms for bladder cancer, is constipation one of them? Looking for additional symptoms of Bladder cancer. Maybe constipation, or maybe think your hip is out.

Answer: Constipation is not a symptom of bladder cancer. 90% of bladder cancer patients have blood in their urine. No other symptom comes close. They all occur in about the 25% range and depend on the location of the tumor and how advanced the disease is.

Question: How do you deal with finding out your father has aggressive bladder cancer? I just found out thursday morning my Dad has aggressive bladder cancer and I don't know how or what to do..I live in ky. with two kids and he lives in ohio..We have never had a whole lot of time together and now it is killing me because I never expected this to happen of course we never do expect this kind of stuff to happen.. I know that there is nobody out here that can make the pain go away or make it better I was just wondering if someone could give me ideals on how to deal with it better!!!

Answer: I know how you feel. I didn't know what to do when I found out about my mothers cancer. I was very busy and did not spend enough time with her as well. I now appreciate the quality time I spend with loved ones more than ever. Thankfully I have found something to help my mother, I hope it can help you, too! I am currently in the Bahamas with my Mother who has Terminal Lung Cancer. There is a clinic here that has been in operation for over 30 years. We have been here for 4 of our 8 week stay, everyday is really neat. A lot of the patients stick around in the meeting room/ waiting room to visit, and share stories and catch up. There were 40 people all talking and laughing, talking about cancer and life, the returning patients talk about how bad their cancer was 4, 8, 10 even 18 years ago when they started coming to the clinic, the cancer that has since disappeared. There is nothing dangerous or foreign to the treatment, just building up your immune system in a very effective manner. If you want to know more contact me or go to www.immunemedicine.com I cannot tell you how impressed I am with what I have seen and how my Mother has already improved. I know one man who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he skipped all US, conventional (poisonous, dangerous) options and went to the Bahamas and is doing great now. Another man who has been coming here for 18 years that had prostate cancer. People with just about every type of cancer. But, they are honest here, you send them your medical information and they will tell you whether they believe they can help you or not, and they will send you home if they don't think you are benefiting. My mom has shown drastic improvements and is feeling so much better. and we are in the Bahamas so we are having a good Mother-Daughter vacation. I have also done a lot of research on the Cesium Chloride/DMSO treatment and think that it has merit and you can do it at home. The clinic here believes that a supplement/liquid called VIBE works really well in addition to other treatments, I am going to look in to that some more. US doctors push chemo and radiation, but when you look at the statistics and side effects it is not a good option for most people. My Mom had both before we came here and now that I know more about them and have researched them I feel horrible that I let her go through them. She was lucky (so far) the only long term side effect she has shown is short term memory loss. The stories I have heard from the other patients here about how they were treated by US medicine astound me. One lady went home to have a shunt put in her liver so she would be ok to come here, but they refused to put it in unless she agreed to do chemotherapy, is that what our country is about? Denying helpful procedures unless we agree to dangerous, toxic ones? The drug companies run US medicine at least when it comes to cancer treatment and it is sad. Most doctors will tell you not to try alternative medicine and some will refuse to even see you again if you do. To some degree they are not to blame, they have not been taught anything about it other than that it is evil and wrong and they would be rejected by their colleagues if they suggested alternatives. I would also like to tell you about another lady staying at the house we are staying at, she is 86 years old and has breast cancer. She arrived at the clinic the same day we did and is doing very well. Her immune system continues to improve and she gained 2 pounds since last week. She is absolutely thrilled with this treatment and knows that it is helping her. Please whatever you do, research first. One very helpful website is www.cancertutor.com Good luck!!

Question: Does bladder cancer spread to the brain ? If so - is a man still smoking with bladder cancer at more of a risk . I know the obvious answer would be yes in anyone smoking but is brain cancer more of a risk to someone who went undectected with bladder cancer ; then continued smoking ?

Answer: There are different types of bladder cancer . . but the answer is . .yes . . metastatic cancer travels through the blood stream. The most common place for mets are the brain, the lungs, and the liver . . but it is possible to travel anywhere. As for your second question about smoking and mets . . the answer is less obvious . . you can read what ASCO reported in this regard. Factors predicting the development of and survival from brain metastasis in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder http://www.asco.org/ASCO/Abstracts+&+Virtual+Meeting/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=47&abstractID=36375

Question: bladder cancer? my grammy just found out tht she has bladder cancer & they r going 2 do chemotherapy on her. i was wondering if there r any home remedies for it? i am really upset about it so anything wud help right now! thank you

Answer: Bladder cancer is treatable, follow the doctors' instructions. As far as home remedies, try laughter, the endorphins released seem to strengthen the immune system. Also lots of love. Rent some comedies from her generation, get a few pieces of dark chocolate (not milk) for when she needs a fix. God Bless and good luck.

Question: Has anyone had BCG therapy to treat your bladder cancer? I just had my second episode of tumors in my bladder removed and now my urologist suggests this BCG therapy that puts in a live tuberculosis virus in my bladder to kill cancer cells. If you have had this, please tell me what to expect.

Answer: I am in a similar situation as you, and am just finishing up my first round of BCG treatments. My initial tumor was small, low grade and non-invasive, and the recurrence (2 years later) was 2 small tumors of the same type. BCG may be recommended right from the beginning, depending on the type, number, size, stage and grade of the initial tumor(s), or it may be recommended once you have a recurrence (as in your case and mine). The usual protocol for BCG is an initial 6 weekly treatments; then you are checked at 3 months to see if there's any recurrence; if no recurrence, you get 3 weeks of maintenance therapy; the same is repeated at 6 months, then every 6 months thereafter out to 3 years. You continue to get checked (cystoscope, perhaps other tests) at 3 month intervals. If you are all clear for 2 years, the check-up frequency goes to every 6 months for the next 3 years. After that 5 years is up (assuming no recurrence) you can go to yearly check-ups. Some people have mild side effects, but I've had none whatsoever (knock wood). There are a few that have severe side-effects and don't tolerate BCG. There are other localized treatments options as well (e.g. mitomycin, interferon). I think these work on the same principle as BCG, i.e., to stimulate the immune system response in your bladder to "attack" abnormal cells. There is a very good section in the Bladder Cancer Web Cafe about BCG treatments. That Website has a wealth of information on everything related to bladder cancer, and has many good links as well. the section on BCG is at: http://blcwebcafe.org/content/view/112/1… There is a very good user forum at the American Bladder Cancer Website; you can read anything there without signing up, but to post questions and get responses from other users, you need to sign up. http://bladdercancersupport.org/ Make sure you know what type of tumor you have (and the size, stage and grade) as this will help you in your reading and research.

Question: Urologist diagnose male bladder cancer using a cystoscope. Cystocopy to remove, can cystoscope view healing? Urologist uses cystoscope to diagnose possible male bladder cancer and removes suspected spot surgically with a cystocopy. Can a cystoscope be used 2 weeks later to view healing?

Answer: Yes it can and it doesn’t matter if the patient is male or female, but two weeks is a little soon.

Question: is it painful to urinate, when bladder cancer is suspected? dr. is testing for bladder cancer but it does not hurt to urinate. it this possible?

Answer: Possible UTI (urinary tract infection). Or OAB (overactive bladder). Possibly even a bladder infection if the UTI has been there for awhile.

Question: what some information on bladder cancer? My friends husband found out that he has bladder cancer I want to find out more infomation on it what happens and whats the procedures, is it curable ?

Answer: He is going to die, but rest assured he will not be alone..try this: http://health.yahoo.com/topic/urinary/ov…

Question: Some say bladder cancer Has gone to more parts of the body? Is this true? My 58 year dad Had bladder cancer and is on cemo. Is bladder cancer Bad?

Answer: When cancer is first diagnosed a doctor will do two things . . stage the cancer and grade the tumor. What this means is that he will look at the cancer in the bladder to see if there is only one small tumor if only one is there than he might call it a STAGE 1. Stage 1 means that there is not much cancer there, but enough that he would need to have surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The next Stage is 2. That means there is more than one tumor, maybe a different size, maybe two or dozens, but still a little small. The next Stage is 3. Stage 3 is serious because the tumor or tumors are now fairly large and may start to be growing through the wall of the bladder and going into other areas around the bladder. A stage 4 is very advanced. Stage 4 means that the large cancer tumor has begun to 'shed' smaller, microscopic cancer cells. These small cells are tiny enough to get into a persons blood stream or lymphatic system. The small cancer cells travel all around the body . . sometimes hundreds of them and find other places to lodge and begin to grow a 'bladder cancer tumor'. These cells can go into the liver and establish a secondary cancer spot. Or they can go into the bone. Or into the kidney. Or into the brain and set up new cancer tumors. This is called Metastatic cancer because it can travel. The doctor will also look at the tumor cells under a microscope and determine if the cells are Low grade, Medium grade, or High grade. Low means that the cells look somewhat normal. Medium means they are starting to change rapidly. High means that the cancer cell is totally abnormal looking. You need to ask your father what Stage his bladder cancer is now in. In general, the higher the stage the higher the grade of tumor. There is treatment for all four stages of bladder cancer. Much will depend on how your father responds to treatment. You can read the Clinical Guidelines for Bladder cancer to learn more: