NICE guidelines re BC diagnosis & management

Hi CB. I've had a read through that and it is disappointing. Once again, bladder cancer takes a back seat, even though it is one of the most common and one of the most expensive to treat. Best wishes.

They admit that most cases are missing the 62 day treatment target but no recommendations to improve this. Agree with Rily disappointing and still a deadly form of cancer that isn't highlighted enough. Also if caught early and treated within their guidelines , one of the cancers that can be beaten. If it can be treated before chemo, cystectomy etc it's surely helps keep costs down too.

It definitely needs to be highlighted more in the press. Not sure how more GPs can be educated on the signs of bladder cancer. I was lucky with my GP who referred me on first test. I guess only because I didn't have any UTI symptoms.

This happened to me 7 months back and forth to Surgery and Antibiotics  for UTI’S seeing numerous  Doctors, until one doctor ask me do you want to be referred or lets things settle  down ?? Shocking 

That is shocking you always rely on a professional to know what's best for you. You almost need to know yourself it could be bladder cancer and then tell them you would like a referral. I suppose in a way that's probably the way forward as more of the public become aware of bladder cancer and the signs.

I have noticed since being on here quite a few times members being treated numerous times for UTI's and then themselves actually asking for a referral. Really disappointing and worrying. A cystoscopy is not nice but if it confirms cancer it's not an early opportunity missed. If it's clear again it's a worry gone.

Not sure what the answer is, almost like more info needs to be passed down to GP's from the Urology department? 

Is there also a problem that they are guidelines which are recommendation but optional, rather than mandatory?

One of the aspects of the existing text that has been evident for some time is that for high risk NMIBC some consultants follow the guidelines & offer BCG or RC, but many seem to just tell Px they will have BCG treatment. So would a change really have much difference? It's raising awareness that is important.

I went to my GP three times over 3 years with blood in urine. Treated for UTI and vaginal dryness, and one young locum suggested I had an oversensitive bladder! I was so very lucky, eventually an ambulance ride to a marvellous Urology Ward meant things were spotted and treated as urgent. I changed my GP!