Treatment Options

[Jennifer66]

After 12 rounds of BCG immunotherapy treatments they have done there job 99%  so now I have two options , major bladder removal surgery or chemotherapy trial, if I do go with major surgery it won’t be till next year, has anyone gone through or in process of chemo trial for bladder cancer, apparently this trial only started in 2022 at Olivia Newton John 

/Austin Hospital, I will possibly decide to go chemo trial. What paths have other taken? Especially female  bladder removal, as not something I think I will go with 

any experiences and advice welcome 💖💖

[sch]

Hi @Jennifer66 

I had bowel cancer, not bladder cancer, but I hope this can be of some use to you.

I elected to have both surgery and chemotherapy which were both options available to me.

I had stage 2a bowel cancer so I was considered cured of cancer as soon as I had the cancer removed post-surgery.

I then chose to have a total colectomy (reduced the risk of cancer coming back by something like 70%) and then I had chemotherapy (reduced the risk be something like 5% of the cancer reoccuring).

My advice would be to ask the doctors/surgeon which options will have the greatest effect, but also check with them what will be the long term side effects.

Best of luck

-s

[Jennifer66]

Hi

thanks so much for your reply and advice, you are always advised to ask questions, sometimes it is just so hard to know the questions to ask. I have asked if I do nothing how long will the progress be; I was told quickly or may be slow.  we are going away at Christmas so major bladder surgery will not be an option this year if I was going that way,. I think we will be going with the chemo which will be six weeks of treatments, problem with that, I have to in for surgery before to even see if I will be suitable,so not much available to me. Do you have a stoma bag as I will have one if I go with surgery.

thank you so much 

[sch]

Hi @Jennifer66 

Everyone struggles with the questions to ask.

Taking someone with you is generally advisable because everyone forgets everything when they walk into that appointment.

I would advise creating a list beforehand and going into that meeting prepared.

CancerCouncil now has a web page with some thoughts or ideas for questions to ask.

https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-information/when-you-are-first-diagnosed/questions-to-ask-yo...

Another good idea is to record the meeting with your doctor. It's not uncommon to forget some of the answers in these situations.

As for a stoma bag, my surgeon performed an ileostomy so a stoma is not necessary.

-s

[Jennifer66]

Hi

thanks again for some great advice, my husband comes with me every visit, we feel we ask relevant questions, and usually hAve a list, my surgeon draws us pictures which is really good, I simply think I don’t want to know a lot, then I think I should know, I guess as I have only two options and as I am really well my main worry is when or will I get sick