Activity

My husband has stage 2B, high grade, urothelial muscle invasive bladder cancer with possible lymph node involvement and also carcinoma in situ. We have been told that cisplatin based chemo followed by surgery to remove his bladder, prostate, and seminal vesicals is basically the best and possibly only way to save his life. We have been through 2 of the 4 prescribed rounds of chemo and after a CT Scan, showing the questionable lymph node shrinking from 8mm to 4mm, our oncologist suggested that we add 2 more rounds, (6 weeks) of chemo at the end of the 4 rounds that we are currently 1/2 way through. We are concerned about the possible severe side effects (complete hearing loss and kidney damage) that could occur by adding even more chemo before surgery. We already had a surgery date which will now have to be delayed if we add 6 more weeks. The Dr. didn’t really explain why he was thinking of adding 2 more rounds and said he would get back to us after consulting with other doctors. Does anyone in this forum have any ideas or suggestions to clarify this? I plan on sending a message to an Oncologist. at the University who is overseeing my husband’s treatment at a local hospital.

My brother was recently diagnosed with metastatic cancer of urethal origin stage 4 that has spread to the liver. Does anybody know of any promising treatments besides standard chemotheraphy? He is too weak to travel very far now. We live in the Dallas Metroplex area

Hi Eric,
We are currently working with the University of Washington. Dr. Evan Yu is the oncologist and Dr. Jonathan Wright is the urologist/surgeon. It is the local Evergreen Hospital Dr who wants to do more chemo and we have not heard back from him on what he decided after consulting with the UW docs. Of course ultimately it is our decision.

My husband has stage 2B, high grade, urothelial muscle invasive bladder cancer with possible lymph node involvement and also carcinoma in situ. We have been told that cisplatin based chemo followed by surgery to remove his bladder, prostate, and seminal vesicals is basically the best and possibly only way to save his life. We have been through 2 of the 4 prescribed rounds of chemo and after a CT Scan, showing the questionable lymph node shrinking from 8mm to 4mm, our oncologist suggested that we add 2 more rounds, (6 weeks) of chemo at the end of the 4 rounds that we are currently 1/2 way through. We are concerned about the possible severe side effects (complete hearing loss and kidney damage) that could occur by adding even more chemo before surgery. We already had a surgery date which will now have to be delayed if we add 6 more weeks. The Dr. didn’t really explain why he was thinking of adding 2 more rounds and said he would get back to us after consulting with other doctors. Does anyone in this forum have any ideas or suggestions to clarify this? I plan on sending a message to an Oncologist. at the University who is overseeing my husband’s treatment at a local hospital.