G3T2N0

Hi again,

I think I’ve found out the information:

Grade 3 – the cancer cells look very different to normal cells and usually grow more quickly

T2 - tumours have grown into the muscle of the bladder wall.

Crustybladder, I think this was the same as your staging and grading?

thanks. X

I was diagnosed with CIS as you know and that is also high grade .. you now know what you're dealing with and luckily it is being dealt with soon  so many people are saying that a positive attitude  is so important  xx I hope we can see this through with a positive attitude and a positive outcome  hope you are OK these past few weeks have really been hard but the future will be brighter and we'll look to the summer with great appreciation...hopefully covid will be soon gone and our treatments and operations will be sorting us out xx take care sending you lots of hugs xx

Thank you, Hou.  Yes, trying to stay positive. Comes in waves.   I’m concerned that the children will be back at school just as my husband is starting chemotherapy but we can ask the oncologist about that Monday. He is having a kidney function test tomorrow, so hopefully that’ll be ok. X

Yes I totally agree it most definitely comes in waves xx I get all shaky in my stomach it awful xx hope all goes well  tomorrow..each test causes more worry but these have got to be done xx take car 

Hi Lavitaebella. You are correct. The T is the staging which shows it has penetrated the bladder lining and moved in to the surrounding muscle. ( I was T3, so more advanced than you). G is the grade which shows the type of cells. G3 is the more faster growing, but don't be scared about that as it is the most common. Best wishes.

Thank you, Rily. X

Hello, apologies for being tardy with a response.

Yes, this is the same diagnosis as mine. You will now receive a recommended treatment plan that may vary from region to region. My hospital, Royal Berks in Reading recommended chemo/cystectomy and when I went for a second opinion at the Royal Marsden, I was told that chemo/radio therapy was also an option.

I wanted the simplest reconstruction and best outcome with no further invasive procedures so opted for cystectomy. I remain very happy with that decision and am in good health after four years.

If you chose cystectomy, I can send you my notes on what to expect with stoma life. It's a tough decision but you have to keep your eyes on the prize - survival - if that is what you choose.

CB.

Hi Crustybladder.  Thank you so much for responding.  I’m having a bad day today, for some reason. Sometimes the unfairness of it all gets to you  

My husband’s consultant has definitely said chemo/cystectomy.  Before he said chemo/radio, but this has changed (I think maybe after doing the TURBT or discussing with the team ). I don’t know whether it is CIS, but the tumour was definitely flat, so maybe this is the reason why (although he did know that before).  Anyway, we’ll go with his recommendation for chemo, RC and neo bladder. 

Your story gives me hope, so I really appreciate you sharing it on this forum. Easy for me to say, obviously,  but I can cope with us getting through the next 3-6 months.  It’s the uncertainty overall. I just want someone to tell me it’s going to be alright, and they obviously can’t.  What I can do is cling onto the positive stories that people have shared. 

X 

So sorry you're having a bad time of it  it is very hard to stay positive all the time you just can't stop yourself wishing this was all just a bad dream and you'll wake up and your life will be back to normal... as we said before it comes over us in waves and we try our best not to let it happen but sometimes we just can't stop it ... we will now have to adjust our lives to fit in with our health issues hopefully we will be able to lead happy,fulfilled lives for many years to come we have had such a shock to our systems these past few months being diagnosed, tests,scans,biopsies and all the worry and stress that goes with all of this is bound to cause you to feel down ..  maybe tomorrow you will feel  a bit better  take care and try to keep  strong you are doing a wonderful job and it's not easy xx thinking about you and sending you a big hug xx 

Hou Tina.

Yes, the waves go from being bearable to really awful.

Thank you for your kind words and positive thoughts.  It means so much. I tried joining some of the FB groups but I didn’t find them helpful  (I know many others do). 

Hope you are ok.  Enjoy your weekend. X