HELP! I’ve Been Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer

If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you may feel isolated and alone. However, you are not alone. According to the National Cancer Institute, the year 2008 brought about 123,200 new case of bladder and kidney cancer. It is the 4th most common type of cancer in men and the 8th in women.

The Bladder:
The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen near the pelvis. The sole function of the bladder is to store liquid waste (urine) until it can be passed from the body. It acts in much the same way as a balloon does. It will stretch out when being filled and shrinks when emptied. The process of emptying the bladder has the urine travel down a small tube called the urethra before exiting the body.

3 Types of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer begins in the bladder and comes in three distinct types: transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma.
• Transitional cell carcinoma lies in the innermost tissue of the bladder.
• Squamous cell carcinoma begins in the cells of a bladder after a prolonged infection or irritation.
• Adenocarcinoma begins in the cells after a long-term inflammation or irritation of the bladder has occurred.

What are the Treatment Options?
Treatment for bladder cancer is similar to other cancers. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are often the recommended treatments. There are also clinical trials being conducted that test new types of treatments and their effectiveness.

Surgery
Many cancers of the bladder require surgical removal of the cancer cells. This may mean partial or full removal of the bladder. When an oncologist removes the entire bladder, the procedure is called a radical cystectomy. Whether you receive a partial removal or a full removal, the chances are you will need still chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is given in order to shrink and destroy the cancerous cells. While chemotherapy can be administered orally, it is more often routinely given in intravenous form from a needle and into the blood.

Chemotherapy is given in cycles. Cycles vary depending on medication, stage, and risk factors. Some people will receive 3 cycles while others 25 to 50 cycles.

Finding a Doctor
If you have already been diagnosed, you were probably whisked into a whirlwind of doctors without even thinking. Now is the time to stop and think about your options. You DO have options. You don’t have to commit to seeing the first doctor you go to and you are entitled to a second opinion.

Bladder cancer is about you and your choices. Not all doctors offer the same treatments and clinical trials. If there is a new treatment you think sounds good but your doctor does not, then you may have to change doctors. This is about you and your life. Do not worry about hurting your doctor’s feelings. Start today by finding the doctor and the treatment that is right for you.