In reference to treatment of Bladder cancer?!
Question: In reference to treatment of Bladder cancer.?
I had a tumor removed from the bladder and I am undergoing BCG treatment as a followup. Has anybody had any experience with this and do you know the prognosis. I have had 2 of the 6 treatments and they are not as bad as I thought they would be. Thanks for any info..Health Question & Answer
Answers:
SassyDude- BCG is the most studied and most commonly prescribed immunotherapeutic agent for use in bladder cancer treatment. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin has been in use since the 1980's, and is the most proven and effective form of immunotherapy at this point in time. Immunotherapy has a mechanism of action different from that of chemotherapy. It uses materials made by your own body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore your body's natural defenses against disease.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), which is an inactivated form of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is given both intravesically mixed in a saline solution and instilled directly into the bladder via a catheter, as well as in the form of a percutaneous vaccine. Although it is not yet totally understood why BCG and other immunotherapies work against cancer, they are thought to elicit an immune response.
BCG has resulted in complete tumor regression in one half or more of treated patients with papillary tumors, and in more than 70% of those with CIS (localized cancer-in-situ). Controlled studies have demonstrated a significant reduction in tumor recurrence, protection from which has been observed to persist for 5 years or more. Studies have also shown statistically significant reductions in the rate of disease progression and a significant reduction in the mortality rate, after treatment with BCG immunotherapy
BCG is usually reserved for higher grade tumors or recurrences, while solitary, superficial papillary tumors are most often treated (if treated at all) with an intravesical (inside bladder) chemo as first line of attack. Once a tumor has shown signs of muscle invasion (T2), BCG is no longer considered a viable option.
Though side effects vary with the individual, the great majority of people find BCG treatments tolerable with side effects being temporay, and some have no adverse reactions at all. Dysuria (pain or difficulty upon urination) and urinary frequency are expected as a consequence of the inflammatory response, and cystitis is the most frequent adverse reaction-occurring in up to 90% of cases. Blood in the urine may occur with cystitis and is seen in one-third of patients. Irritative bladder symptoms are unlikely in the week after the first intravesical BCG. Side effects of BCG are cumulatory, and generally increase with successive treatments.6 Some people complain of flu like symptoms including fatigue, joint pain and muscle ache.
Men having this treatment can pass on BCG during sex. To protect your partner from coming into contact with BCG, you should not have sex for 48 hours after each treatment. Use a condom if you have sex at other times during the six weeks of treatment. You should also use a condom for sex for six weeks after treatment has ended.
Good luck. Keep a positive outlook and continue to live life.
Health Question & Answer
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), which is an inactivated form of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is given both intravesically mixed in a saline solution and instilled directly into the bladder via a catheter, as well as in the form of a percutaneous vaccine. Although it is not yet totally understood why BCG and other immunotherapies work against cancer, they are thought to elicit an immune response.
BCG has resulted in complete tumor regression in one half or more of treated patients with papillary tumors, and in more than 70% of those with CIS (localized cancer-in-situ). Controlled studies have demonstrated a significant reduction in tumor recurrence, protection from which has been observed to persist for 5 years or more. Studies have also shown statistically significant reductions in the rate of disease progression and a significant reduction in the mortality rate, after treatment with BCG immunotherapy
BCG is usually reserved for higher grade tumors or recurrences, while solitary, superficial papillary tumors are most often treated (if treated at all) with an intravesical (inside bladder) chemo as first line of attack. Once a tumor has shown signs of muscle invasion (T2), BCG is no longer considered a viable option.
Though side effects vary with the individual, the great majority of people find BCG treatments tolerable with side effects being temporay, and some have no adverse reactions at all. Dysuria (pain or difficulty upon urination) and urinary frequency are expected as a consequence of the inflammatory response, and cystitis is the most frequent adverse reaction-occurring in up to 90% of cases. Blood in the urine may occur with cystitis and is seen in one-third of patients. Irritative bladder symptoms are unlikely in the week after the first intravesical BCG. Side effects of BCG are cumulatory, and generally increase with successive treatments.6 Some people complain of flu like symptoms including fatigue, joint pain and muscle ache.
Men having this treatment can pass on BCG during sex. To protect your partner from coming into contact with BCG, you should not have sex for 48 hours after each treatment. Use a condom if you have sex at other times during the six weeks of treatment. You should also use a condom for sex for six weeks after treatment has ended.
Good luck. Keep a positive outlook and continue to live life.
Health Question & Answer
Hang in there, Dude... four more treatments and you'll be done. After that, your doctor will want to do a cystoscopy (ouch!) every three months for a year or two, then every six months for a year, then annually...
The great news is that if BCG treatment was indicated, you will probably be fine from now on, the surgeon must be pretty confident he/she got all of the tumor and it was confined to the inner lining of the bladder, so your prognosis is excellent. The odd news is that you will likely test positive for TB from now on! And the good news is that once you have had one kind of cancer, while your chances of another kind are unchanged, you will forever be "vigilant" and so will notice symptoms before most people would. (BTW, don't be surprised if after the treatments are over, if you get a mouth ulcer you think it's mouth cancer, or you think an upset stomach is stomach cancer or indigestion is lung cancer! Perfectly normal reaction...)
http://www.cancer.org is an excellent source of good info...
How long were you a smoker.? Health Question & Answer
The great news is that if BCG treatment was indicated, you will probably be fine from now on, the surgeon must be pretty confident he/she got all of the tumor and it was confined to the inner lining of the bladder, so your prognosis is excellent. The odd news is that you will likely test positive for TB from now on! And the good news is that once you have had one kind of cancer, while your chances of another kind are unchanged, you will forever be "vigilant" and so will notice symptoms before most people would. (BTW, don't be surprised if after the treatments are over, if you get a mouth ulcer you think it's mouth cancer, or you think an upset stomach is stomach cancer or indigestion is lung cancer! Perfectly normal reaction...)
http://www.cancer.org is an excellent source of good info...
How long were you a smoker.? Health Question & Answer
sorry dude. norton, the first answerer seems to know what he is talking about.Health Question & Answer
not really sure about this one. sorryHealth Question & Answer
You have already received some very good answers regarding BCG. It is the best treatment for your disease. However, your question regarding prognosis has not been addressed, so I will answer that part for you. You do not mention the type of cancer you had (probably TCC), the grade or the stage, but you should know 80% of patients with carcinoma in-situ will develop an invasive cancer within 10 years if left untreated and most of those are lethal.
The good news about bladder cancer is that it is very treatable and patients rarely die from it. Most patients are diagnosed with low grade superficial tumors with a 5-year survival rate of 85-95%. The bad news is 80% recur, but when they do there is little to no progression of disease and this is due primarily to BCG. Due to the high recurrence rate it is recommended that patients be followed up every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months for the following 3 years and yearly thereafter with a UA every 6 months. It is not unusual to see a recurrence 7-10 years later, so be good about your follow up and see your doctor as soon as you begin to notice any symptoms. Best wishes.
Health Question & Answer
The good news about bladder cancer is that it is very treatable and patients rarely die from it. Most patients are diagnosed with low grade superficial tumors with a 5-year survival rate of 85-95%. The bad news is 80% recur, but when they do there is little to no progression of disease and this is due primarily to BCG. Due to the high recurrence rate it is recommended that patients be followed up every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months for the following 3 years and yearly thereafter with a UA every 6 months. It is not unusual to see a recurrence 7-10 years later, so be good about your follow up and see your doctor as soon as you begin to notice any symptoms. Best wishes.
Health Question & Answer