Return of Bladder Cancer

Hi yellow29 . Sorry to hear your husband's bladder cancer has returned. Unfortunately we know this is the nature of BC. It does have a habit of returning and some people have more recurrences than others. The results of tomorrows op will determine the next step. I hope all goes well. Best wishes.

• Hi yellow29, we have exactly the same issue. My husband was diagnosed in 2021 and has nearly 2 years of BCG treatment. He was in for Surgery last week and it is back!
• They are now recommending complete Bladder removal, we are still reeling too so really sympathise with you both. He has to have a full body scan now to make sure it hasn’t metastasised, if it has he will not have the Bladder removal.
• It’s like sitting on a knife edge round here, every time his phone rings, we both pretend it’s probs just a sales call! Hopefully things will be better for you both x

Dear Greenmaz, if you are both happy with bladder removal, or you definitely know the cancer is muscle invasive, fair enough.

Just want you to be aware, if it is not muscle invasive and you would rather not go for big life changing surgery, there is a third way. This is Mitomycin chemo-into-the-bladder. Very like BCG in administration and has worked well for my husband for 4/5 years. He just has six-monthly flexis to check in case of recurrences. He was also offered complete bladder removal after BCG and a recurrence, a prospect which for him/us was to be avoided if possible.

Thank you Denny, we have not been offered that option at all.

I wonder why not?

One reason I sit on here when my OH has had clear flexis for about 4 years is precisely because this often is not offered, to let people know about it .I'm afraid I have caused offence in some quarters previously by suggesting that doctors who chose to learn to be surgeons - a great lifesaving skill indeed - are pre-disposed to favour surgery.

People's embarrassment about anything 'down there' combines to mean that doctors may not mention that males are highly likely to lose normal if not [often] all sexual function. How important this is varies from person and couple to person and couple, but imho should not be lightly dismissed if an alternative to radical surgery is medically suitable.

Thank you. I could not agree more!