Taxotere or PDT for bladder ca

3 months ago I had a TURBT for a T 1 superficail tumor, but it was high grade 3/4..Cscans, blood tetss, Xrays showed no other cancers.. The URO said he took it all out, but it usually returns, and they they take out the bladder..

So I found another URO at the ame clinic, and started BCG, but they didnt start until 7 weeks after the surgery...after 2 treatments ,bleeding returned,and they did a cyto , and i guess it came back, so they are going to do another resection, Monday..

I have heard of people who had it come back twice, but with resctions and BCG, it finally stopped.

My concern is that it came back so quickly.. I am  trying to avoid total removal of the bladder , or whole body chemo.An ONCO told me intravesical chemo does not work..she wanted to do whole body chem..6 sessions... I refused.

1) can BCG get started 2 weks after the resection? They may have waited too long?  Dr Lamm's office seems to think it can be done after 2 weeks

2)I just read about Taxotere as being more effective than BCG..also Photodynamic Therapy ( even one session). My UROs dont do those.

I am in S. Ca.  I am trying to ifnd out where I can get these done locally.  Anyone know?

3)  I  discussed a partial cystectomy, if it comes to   that, but the URO does not seem to think it would work. It seems a better option at this point than total removal, which I think is a heavy surgery, and since its superficial, does not seem warranted. Any comments?

ijsut posted the last mesage, but I forgot to click whre it says "recive an email when someone responds to this

Don't have much to add, except that my dad has bladder cancer and his came back while doing the flushes.  We were surprised, but the docs just went back in and took out the new tumor and then resumed the flushes.  I am wondering myself if there is not a different treatment he could have.  He is not tolerating the flushes well.  There is alot of burning and blood.  Do you have that?  He is in alot of pain when he has to do the flushes.  Please let me know how you are and what you are doing.  Maybe we could exchange info?  I am worried about him as I am sure your family is you. Hope you find this posting feeling well.  Julie

I also forgot to check the email response box..lol

 

On 11/8/2008 vtttt wrote:

3 months ago I had a TURBT for a T 1 superficail tumor, but it was high grade 3/4..Cscans, blood tetss, Xrays showed no other cancers.. The URO said he took it all out, but it usually returns, and they they take out the bladder..

So I found another URO at the ame clinic, and started BCG, but they didnt start until 7 weeks after the surgery...after 2 treatments ,bleeding returned,and they did a cyto , and i guess it came back, so they are going to do another resection, Monday..

I have heard of people who had it come back twice, but with resctions and BCG, it finally stopped.

My concern is that it came back so quickly.. I am  trying to avoid total removal of the bladder , or whole body chemo.An ONCO told me intravesical chemo does not work..she wanted to do whole body chem..6 sessions... I refused.

1) can BCG get started 2 weks after the resection? They may have waited too long?  Dr Lamm's office seems to think it can be done after 2 weeks

2)I just read about Taxotere as being more effective than BCG..also Photodynamic Therapy ( even one session). My UROs dont do those.

I am in S. Ca.  I am trying to ifnd out where I can get these done locally.  Anyone know?

3)  I  discussed a partial cystectomy, if it comes to   that, but the URO does not seem to think it would work. It seems a better option at this point than total removal, which I think is a heavy surgery, and since its superficial, does not seem warranted. Any comments?

Hi ~

It's been awhile since this post, so your situation might be greatly changed, but wanted to clarify something.

Do not be misled about the word superficial. It only means 'at this time it is skin deep', but the high grade part of the path report is what means 'take this seriously, it can and probably will spread and get into the muscle if you are not active about treatment'.

My husband, at 57, is dealing with recurrent bladder cancer, T1, high grade, and has been for almost 2 years, with repeat tumor removal every 3 mos. or so (TURBT), 1 mitomycin 'wash' so far, and 3 mos. later, another 2 tumors, but that number is down from 3-5 or so each time before. They proposed BCG which he has declined because he is still working full time, doesn't want to take off that much time for repeat treatments, and we have heard of horrendous side effects plus additional risks with the live TB bacillis.

For this reason, we have been told that you don't want BCG too soon, the interior bladder wall must be healed so the bacillis doesn't get into the blood stream thru the unhealed openings. At least that's one of the things we were warned about by two doctors. They said to wait 4-6 weeks. The other is breathing the live stuff and contracting TB. One oncologist/urologist said in 7 years he'd had ONLY one patient come down with TB.  Great news . . . ???

If anyone knows of any BCG results, please let us know. The only referral from his Dr. said "yes, they did BCG"  but he was having to have his bladder removed anyway!  Some referral, huh?

Hope this helps~   Barb in TX