False Negative on VBTA test

Well I'm back on this board with another tcc cancer scottie.  I lost my scottie JJ last year to tcc, & now his daughter (11 yr old female scottie - Scampi) has just been diagnosed with tcc bladder cancer.  I had the VBTA bladder cancer screening test done as soon as I noticed Scampi urinating more often, & was given a false sense of security by a negative test result.  I would suggest to anyone trying to decide between ultrasound & the VBTA bladder cancer test--go with the ultrasound.  Scampi kept up the frequent urinating even after the negative VBTA & a round of antibiotics for bladder infection, so I insisted on an ultrasound, & sure enough she has the cancer near the area of the trigone with a mushroom shaped tumor on a stalk.  I felt just sick when I heard, because I know how this ends. I want to do the best I can for Scampi & maintain her quality of like as long as possible, so my vet is checking with the animal cancer center at CSU to see what they suggest for treatment.  We already started her on piroxicam.  One of her ureters is being partially blocked by the cancer & that kidney may already be done.  Scampi is very stressed by being at the vet so I doubt that I'll do the chemo with her.  It worked so well for JJ, but he was not stressed by the vet visits like Scampi would be.  I'll post again when we hear back from the oncologist, & will most likely go with that recommendation. 

Best of Luck to those of you making tough decisions for your pets,

Joy

Joy, I'm so very sorry to hear that your Scampi has also been diagnosed with TCC. I read all your posts about JJ last year and was so sad when his time came.  My Westie, Willie,  is still with me 14 months after his diagnosis.  His VBTA test came back negative also.  However, his vet was suspicious and did an ultrasound shortly thereafter.  Sure enough there was a small tumor in his bladder which when removed and tested proved to be malignant.  He has been treated with piroxicam since then.  Unfortunately the tumor has returned and is now growing.  I hope that Scampi responds well to her treatment.....I'll be thinking of you both!

Sue

Hi Sue.  Thank you for your support.  So sorry Willie's tumor is back.  If you don't mind me asking--did your vet in SD do the kind of surgery where he uses a laser & a scope & can also clear the tumor out of the urethra?  If so, can he go in & clear the tumor again for Willie?  Since Scampi's stressed by being left at the vet, I'm thinking that having the laser surgery might be a good choice for her so she could just be at the vet for a day & maybe follow up with one round of mitoxantrone, and then just do the daily piroxicam & pepcid after that.  I just don't think staying at the vet all day once every 3 weeks is going to be something she tolerates too well.  At CSU it doesn't have to be all day for the chemo, but if my local vet does it she wants to keep her all day each time.  My vet does laser surgery but not the kind with the scope, so I'm looking around in MT & the surrounding states for one that does that type of surgery.  She called CSU for a consult & they are still recommending the mitoxantrone & piroxicam, & also have a new special radiation treatment that is giving really good results.  However that treatment is pretty pricey & I would have to either leave Scampi there for 3 weeks or go stay at a motel there for 3 weeks with her for the daily radiation.  CSU recommends the radiation over any type of surgery, but since I've only been at my job for a couple of months I just can't take off that much time from work.

Good Luck with Willie. I'm hoping for the best for him.

Joy

Hi Joy!  How are you and Scampi doing?  I hope her treatment is going well.  I'm sorry that I didn't respond sooner.....I forgot to check all the posts for new responses until today.  I really appreciate all the information included in your post about treatments available through CSU.  My vet did use a laser and scope to do the initial removal of the tumor in Willie's bladder.  As far as he could tell he got all the tumor out and attempted to make sure that the margins were clean.  He advises against a second try at removing the tumor.  He said that disturbing it increases the chance that some of the TCC will move to other parts of Willie's body.  Willie had a bad reaction to some of the meds they gave him and had a rocky recovery from this surgery (on 7-1-08).  We are considering a round of mitoxantrone if Willie's next ultrasound shows the tumor has enlarged even more.  The truth is that Willie has been so well for the past 16 months that my vet is concerned about compromising his quality of life for a minimal chance of prolonging it.  I am so torn between trying everything possible and letting Willie live the rest of his life with as few vet visits and medical treatments as possible.  I'm sure that you understand this feeling.  We'll see what the next couple of weeks brings.

I'll be thinking of you & Scampi and hoping that you find the best possible treatment plan for her! 

Sue

Hi Sue.  Sorry to hear that Willie had a bad reaction, but sounds like the laser treatment has prolonged his life with good quality.  My vet does laser surgery but not the kind thru the urethra with a scope.  Since CSU recommended the mitoxantrone & piroxicam, I did take Scampi in for chemo with mitoxantrone--our vet let me go in with Scampi & sit on a couch with her while she had the infusion, so it wasn't stressful for her.  She had no side effects at all.  In fact when we got home she ate a small meal right away & would have eaten a lot more if I had allowed it.  That was almost 2 weeks ago, & she had an ultrasound this morning that shows the tumor that was bigger than a golf ball is now gone & just a thickening of the bladder wall where it was.  What great news!!! We will go in next week for the 2nd mitoxantrone infusion.  It takes about an hour & again I will sit with her the whole time.  If you decide to go with the mitoxantrone for Willie, be sure to ask your vet if he's used that particular drug before.  My vet called CSU for a consult before doing it because they had done chemo before, but not the mitoxantrone.  It was $25 for the call & well worth it for the peace of mind.  I think with the mitoxantrone the main concern is that there is no leakage around the infusion site into the surrounding tissues.  Good luck with Willie--even if you decide to discontinue any treatments that 16 months with Willie feeling well was a gift of time to him-and to you.  Give him a good scwuffle & a hug from me & Scampi.

Joy

What wonderful news about Scampi's treatment!  How is she doing now?  Thank you so much for all the details on how your vet did her chemo.  My vet has used mitoxantrone before.  He was involved with clinical trials of it through Iowa State with another Westie.  The main concern about using it on Willie is the way that he reacts to most meds.  Just this last week he suddenly came down with a bladder infection.  He had a shot of Convenia (antibiotic) and got Tramadol for pain.  He is better now but it took four days for me to get him to eat again.  As soon as something is bothering him, he totally stops eating.  This time tuna fish and some salmon cat food finally got him interested in food again.  I wish he were more like my younger Westie....Weston will eat anything and all the time!  My vet is worried about what kind of reaction Willie will have to chemo.  However, Willie is going to have an ultrasound later this week and I'm sure we'll be discussing chemo once again.

My best to you & to Scampi! 

Sue

Hi Joy!  How are you and Scampi doing?  I just was re-reading some of the information you posted while JJ was being treated.  The results of Willie's ultrasound were not so good.  My vet will be calling the oncologist tomorrow to check on possible chemo for Willie.  Do you have any advice regarding preparations I should make for Willie's comfort and safety prior to chemo?  I will probably try one treatment and see how he does.  If he is okay, we'll consider a second one...and a third, etc.  I'd appreciate any hints you can give me that might help make Willie's chemo easier on all of us but especially on him.

Thanks so much!  Sue