Bladder cancer

Hello guys and you few gals,

My wife was just diagnosed with bladder cancer. (Darn.) Healingwell doesn't seem to cover that in particular. On one hand prostate cancer seems closest in many ways, but on the other hand, well obviously it's quite different. But if anyone knows about bladder cancer and is feeling like sharing, I'd sure appreciate it. I know the folks here are generally a great bunch.

Thanks,
DJ

My dad had bladder cancer when he was about 73.

He had it scrapped along the walls two or three times (dr. commented it was 'gummy' because of past radiation/chemo). He finally had to have it removed, and they made him a bladder out of his intestines and he wears a bag with a permanent catheter though his skin.

It reoccurred a few years later in his brain.

I believe his "worst" cancer was the colon. Living with that colostomy bag is the worst kind of SE to me. He might not agree with that assumption though.

There are different kinds of bladder cancer, and a lot depends on how deeply it's penetrated. It spreads very easily, which is why surgery often only spreads it. BCG, a bacteria, eats the cancer, and is often the first line therapy. It's not at all like prostate cancer and is not hormone-sensitive, for example. That's probably about as much as I know.

- Allen

I am on this site because of an AUS that I have implanted after my Bladder surgery called an RC. Radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder). The AUS controls incontinence that sometimes happens when your prostate is removed.

I had stage 2 (muscle invasive) High Grade Bladder Cancer. There is a resource like Healing Well called

BCAN or Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network.

www.bcan.org

you can contact me if you would like me to talk you both or just her.

BC has three sides to it. It depends what stage she is in. The three stages have complete different stories to them

NEO

Unlike this blog, lots of women contribute for there own cancer or their husbands (many men avoid the conversation) So she would feel very comfortable blogging with other women (and men) who can share their stories, or help guide her.

This forum might be helpful: Cancer Forums

DJ,
Rick Bangs is the patient advocate for Bladder Cancer in our comittees at SWOG and for the National Cancer Institute. (Rick Bangs <chezrick@comcast.net>). He's a good friend of mine and is also the Chair of the PA Committee at SWOG. He has a neo-bladder after having his bladder and prostate removed due to his cancer.

At SWOG Seth Lerner, MD out of Baylor is the organ site chair. I also know him well and he is a leading clinical trial researcher (slerner@bcm.tmc.edu). David Quinn is the Medical Director at the USC Norris Cancer Center in Los Angeles. He too is a great friend and may be an assist. ("Quinn, David" <diquinn@med.usc.edu>).

If you need introduction to any of the above let me know. Or you can just write them and ask questions and let them know you found them through me. They are all great guys and will be happy to assist I am certain.