Treatment Of Bladder Cancer By Stage
Most of the time, treatment of bladder cancer is based on the tumors clinical stage when it’s first diagnosed. This includes how deep it’s thought to have grown into the bladder wall and whether it has spread beyond the bladder. Other factors, such as the size of the tumor, how fast the cancer cells are growing , and a persons overall health and preferences, also affect treatment options.
Stage 4 Bladder Cancer Survivors
01/03/2022 ·Stage 4 Bladder Cancer – Share Hopeful Stories. callingonmyangels Member Posts: 3 Member. March 1 edited March 12 in Bladder Cancer #1. New to this group. My husband has stage 4 bladder cancer. Weve done chemo, currently on immunotherapy, and considering proton radiation. … New to this group. I have stage 4 bladder cancer ,started
Researching Stage 4 Cancer Alternatives
So it wasnt my first bout with cancer either. So, the medical establishment just had nothing at all to offer me. So, I went home and between my husband and I we got on the internet and were looking for alternatives.
Early on in my research I came across a report on a clinical trial done by Dr. Santori and Warburg, who actually won the Nobel peace prize in medicine for curing cancer with cesium.** And because I found that clinical trial pretty early on in my research, I decided that if it was good enough for a Nobel peace prize you know it was probably good enough for me.
**A Note About Warburg and SartoriNeither Dr. Sartori nor Dr. Warburg earned Nobel prizes for curing cancer with cesium chloride. Otto Warburg did win the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1931 for his investigation of the metabolism of tumors and the respiration of cells, particularly cancer cells. He wrote The Prime Cause and Prevention of Cancer based on his years of research and was nominated for the Nobel Prize award 47 times over the course of his career. H.E. Sartori, M.D. researched the affects of diet and nutrition on cancer occurrence. He wrote Cesium Therapy in Cancer Patients in 1984 about a study he conducted using cesium chloride therapy on 50 patients with cancer.
Larry: Right.
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What Is Stage 4 Bladder Cancer
Receiving a diagnosis of stage 4 bladder cancer can feel overwhelming.
Stage 4 bladder cancer is the most advanced stage, and the prognosis is less promising than in earlier stages.
Many cancer treatments can be challenging. However, treatment can reduce or even eliminate your symptoms and help you live a longer, more comfortable life.
Its important to consider the pros and cons of treating stage 4 bladder cancer because treatments have side effects and risks.
Symptoms of bladder cancer can include:
- blood or blood clots in your urine
- pain or burning during urination
- frequent urination
- needing to urinate at night
- needing to urinate but not being able to
- lower back pain on one side of the body
These symptoms commonly lead to a diagnosis, but they arent unique to stage 4 bladder cancer.
Stage 4 bladder cancer is also called metastatic bladder cancer. This means the cancer has spread outside the bladder into other areas.
People with metastatic cancer may experience symptoms relating to where the cancer has spread. For example, if bladder cancer has spread to the lungs, they may experience chest pain or increased coughing.
Amanda Diagnosed In 2021 At 37 United States
I was having UTI symptoms when I started seeing blood in my urine I was seeking out doctors and answers. I kept getting told I had a UTI and was given antibiotics. In less than a year I went from symptoms to having a stage 4 tumor removed.
I was misdiagnosed more than once. When I finally got a cancer diagnosis the cancer institute did not want me to start chemo because I didnt have insurance.
What advice would you give to others who may be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer?
Get as many second opinions as necessary and dont stop until you are heard. You are your own best advocate
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Checkpoint Inhibitors Unleash An Immune Attack
Checkpoint inhibitors work by releasing a natural brake that the immune system places on powerful immune T cells so they dont accidentally attack normal cells. Since 2016, four checkpoint inhibitor drugs have been approved for bladder cancer: atezolizumab , pembrolizumab , nivolumab , and avelumab .
The drugs target molecules called PD-1 or PD-L1, which are on the surface of immune T cells or on cancer cells. MSK played a key role in gaining FDA approval for atezolizumab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab.
MSK genitourinary oncologist Dean Bajorin led a large international clinical trial showing that nivolumab reduces bladder cancer recurrence in people whose disease has spread into the muscle wall. About 25% of bladder cancers fall into this high-risk category, which is harder to treat and much more likely to spread to other parts of the body. The FDA approved nivolumab for this use in 2021.
The absence of good options to treat high-risk disease was frustrating for both patients and doctors, Dr. Bajorin says. Now, for the first time, we can offer a new immunotherapy to reduce recurrence. Its a major advance.
Patient Stories & Blog
We are very grateful to everyone who has shared their story with us on this website. We know that many people find reading the story of other patients very helpful when trying to make sense of their diagnosis or cancer journey. We also know that these stories can be very powerful in helping to raise awareness of bladder cancer and highlight the urgent need for new treatments, research and support for those with bladder cancer.
If you would like to tell your story please do get in touch with us by email at
We can arrange for one of our Patient Support Officers to get in touch to help you tell your story, if that would be helpful, and we also have a ‘hints and tips’ sheet to give you more ideas about what to write.
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Amy Diagnosed In 2022 At 50 Senegal
After I did a biopsy because a ct scan showed a tumour in my bladder. My urologist gave me the results of a cancer phase T1. It was a shock to me and my family. I didnt have any symptoms that made me think of bladder cancer. I went to see a gastroenterologist for chronic constipation and by doing a sonogram thats how he saw my tumour in the bladder.
Therefore I want to bring awareness to African people to check themselves and inform them about bladder cancer. I felt lucky enough to check myself to find out for another bigger problem than my constipation.
Which symptoms have you experienced and how have you dealt with them?
The only symptom was incontinence to hold before rushing to the bathroom, for a little moment and it kept me asking questions about why but the only thing I could think was menopause. I tried not to drink any water so I dont get any accidents.
Tell us about your experience with bladder cancer treatment. How long did it last? Did you experience side effects?
As I just found out in July, I am at my 4th treatment. So far so good until yesterdays ones as I felt a lot of pressure as treatment was going inside. I asked the nurse to slow down, and then later in the day, I felt a lot of fatigue, back pain and some bleeding. Also since the second treatment, I developed some rash in some parts of my body. After 48 hours it goes away but comeback after every treatment. I also noticed my appetite is bigger. Some quick weight gain around my thighs and breasts.
Take Care Of Your Bladder
After bladder cancer treatment, you can take steps to help protect your bladder6 from recurrence. The following tips will help reduce the risk:
- Quit smoking: According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is thought to be the cause of about half of all bladder cancers3. Although quitting can be tough, it’ll help you feel healthier overall and less anxious about cancer. If you need assistance, speak with your doctor about medications or other options to help you quit.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking lots of fluids, particularly water, may lower your risk of developing bladder cancer. Try to drink six to eight glasses of water4 a day.
- Get your fruits and veggies: A diet high in fruits and vegetables5 may help keep your bladder healthy. A nutrient-rich diet also lowers the risk of developing other types of cancers. Aim to have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and also eat whole grains several times a day.
- Exercise: Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of recurrence and can add more years to your life. Only 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise2 reduces anxiety and symptoms such as fatigue, nausea and pain. Talk with your doctor about the right exercise program for you, and plan to start slowly.
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Low Grade And High Grade Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer starts in the lining of the bladder in about 90 percent of people diagnosed with this cancer. Bladder cancer is called low grade or high grade.
- Low-grade bladder cancer means the cancer has not invaded the muscles around the bladder . People rarely die from this type of bladder cancer, it often recurs after treatment.
- High-grade bladder cancer also often recurs and has a higher chance of spreading to other parts of the body. Almost all deaths from bladder cancer result this type so it is treated more aggressively.
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Treating Bladder Cancer That Progresses Or Recurs
If cancer continues to grow during treatment or comes back after treatment , treatment options will depend on where and how much the cancer has spread, what treatments have already been used, and the patient’s overall health and desire for more treatment. Its important to understand the goal of any further treatment if its to try to cure the cancer, to slow its growth, or to help relieve symptoms as well as the likely benefits and risks.
For instance, non-invasive bladder cancer often comes back in the bladder. The new cancer may be found either in the same place as the original cancer or in other parts of the bladder. These tumors are often treated the same way as the first tumor. But if the cancer keeps coming back, a cystectomy may be needed. For some non-invasive tumors that keep growing even with BCG treatment, and where a cystectomy is not an option, immunotherapy with pembrolizumab might be recommended.
Cancers that recur in distant parts of the body can be harder to remove with surgery, so other treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy, might be needed. For more on dealing with a recurrence, see Understanding Recurrence.
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Treating Stage Iii Bladder Cancer
These cancers have reached the outside of the bladder and might have grown into nearby tissues or organs and/or lymph nodes . They have not spread to distant parts of the body.
Transurethral resection is often done first to find out how far the cancer has grown into the bladder wall. Chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy is then the standard treatment.Partial cystectomy is rarely an option for stage III cancers.
Chemotherapy before surgery can shrink the tumor, which may make surgery easier. Chemo can also kill any cancer cells that could already have spread to other areas of the body and help people live longer. It can be especially useful for T4 tumors, which have spread outside the bladder. When chemo is given first, surgery to remove the bladder is delayed. The delay is not a problem if the chemo shrinks the cancer, but it can be harmful if it continues to grow during chemo. Sometimes the chemo shrinks the tumor enough that intravesical therapy or chemo with radiation is possible instead of surgery.
Some patients get chemo after surgery to kill any cancer cells left after surgery that are too small to see. Chemo given after cystectomy may help patients stay cancer-free longer, but so far its not clear if it helps them live longer. If cancer is found in nearby lymph nodes, radiation may be needed after surgery. Another option is chemo, but only if it wasn’t given before surgery.
Everyone Should Have The Choice
Larry: So how do you feel about other people trying this therapy?
I think that anyone can learn to do this and I think if they do, they will benefit, absolutely. I didnt really have any choice because there was no other help offered me. But I think this is something that everyone should have the choice to do this, to try it.
Larry: Yeah I know President Trump made some sort of ruling where people in the last stages of cancer, when there was no hope given, they could try experimental things that werent proven by the FDA yet. I would hope that this could be one of them because you know it works, you know. It works.
Yes. Yes it does, it works.
Larry: So Im hoping that they will rule that alternatives would be allowed to do them just as well as the experimental drugs that the FDA hasnt approved yet.
Right. Yeah I agree. I think this and its natural.
Larry: Yes it is.
And the only side effect is improved health!
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Kaitlyn Diagnosed In 2019 At 27 Canada
Suffered for months before diagnosis, doctors kept treating me for bladder infections and did not take my symptoms seriously until I started to demand more tests. I knew something was going on inside my body that needed much more attention than another round of antibiotics. I was a new mom, it was hell. Finally got a diagnosis, and had my first turbt. It came back less than 2 years later. Had my second turbt. Currently in Bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment.
I experienced constant bladder cancer infections. Debilitating discomfort to the point I was missing time from work, and family gatherings, it was affecting my ability to be present for my child. Way too many rounds of antibiotics. Blood in the urine. By the time I had my surgery my urine had so much blood in it you couldnt see through the cup. It took way too long for a diagnosis because its not statistically common for a 27 year old female to develop bladder tumors. I was overlooked and dismissed for an unsettling amount of time. Until I started to not take no for an answer and demanded to be taken seriously.
What advice would you give to others who may be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer?
To get the treatment you may need and reevaluate your lifestyle and diet. Consider what you put in and around your body.
Join A Cancer Support Group
Joining a support group can help you overcome feelings of loneliness and learn new coping skills. You’ll soon realize that many people are going through the same thing as you, and they understand how you feel. There are different types of support groups out there, from formal meetings that focus on learning about bladder cancer to informal gatherings that may include family or friends. You should also consider speaking with a counselor individually if you feel more comfortable with one-on-one interactions. Either way, there’s no need to cope with cancer alone.
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What Is The Prognosis For Liver Metastases
Prognosis is a clinical term describes how a disease condition develops, the signs and symptoms of the disease, how soon an affected individual is expected to recover, and how will be the quality of life of the affected individual over a period of time post treatment like ability to carry out activities of daily living the chances of any complications and other health concerns, and the chances of overall survival in cases of rare or incurable disease. In short, prognosis is referred to as the expected length of the disease, course of the disease, chances of any expected or unforeseen adverse events.
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Khushi’s Grand Father Diagnosed In 2020 At 73
My grandfathers name was Mafatlal and he was a bladder cancer patient. In the beginning, he did not understand the symptoms that he was experiencing: he thought he had an ordinary urinary problem but then one day he started experiencing blood in his urine
What advice would you give to others who may be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer?
My name is Khushi Joshi and I am sharing my grandfathers experience. I would advise any bladder cancer patient to have good medicine, trust the almighty and be happy. My grandfather was diagnosed at the page of 73 and was unable to survive.
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Recurrent Symptoms Lead To Diagnosis
Beth Kurtz went to her doctor in 1999 to address what she thought was a urinary tract infection . My urine was slightly discolored, and I felt as though I needed to frequently urinate, which can be signs of UTIs as well as bladder cancer. But I didnt know then that rust-colored urine is a common symptom of bladder cancer, so I never told my doctor about it, Beth recalls.
She was treated with a standard UTI antibiotic, which worked for a while, but the problem kept coming back every few months. After 10 months of this, my husband convinced me this was not normal and insisted I go to a urologist.
After additional tests, Beth underwent a cystoscopy, a procedure that involved examining the lining of her bladder and collecting some cells, followed by a Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor to remove tumor tissue from her bladder. Beth soon learned that she had-low grade, non-invasive tumors on the wall of her bladder. She was treated with six sessions of intravesical chemotherapy, which delivers chemotherapy drugs directly into the bladder.
At the time, her daughter Therese was just 15 years old.
Beth remained in remission for four years. When her symptoms reappeared, she underwent another TURBT procedure and was treated with a different type of chemotherapy. By the time her cancer recurred a third time, Therese had graduated from nursing school, worked as a pediatric ICU nurse in Washington, DC, and returned to Buffalo to join Roswell Park as an ICU nurse.