Follow Up

Hi Ianw. I can't answer your question as it is out of my experience, but I would just like to welcome you to the group. I am sure someone will be along to help when they pick up your post. Best wishes.

Thank you, much appreciated.

Ian

Hello Ian

As I noted on a different post today, following RC, we can expect 2 to 3 years of CT scans and tests then they are scaled back to annual checks to 5 years depending on whether you had a stoma or neobladder. That said, this does vary by region and CCG. Blood tests are primarily to check kidney function and that the other readings are normal - if not, that can indicate something to be investigated.

I'm puzzled by the checking of your PSA level after you've had a radical cystectomy - begs the question, did the surgeon remove your prostate as is normal in a RC procedure? Otherwise, the PSA observation is pointless as it pertains only to the prostate for cancer and you don't have one.

Or am I missing something?

CB

Hi

The reason I have PSA checks is because I had incidental prostate cancer, which was discovered during the histology after the RC. Apparently, the body still produces small amounts despite the removal, which did surprise me and rises may indicate that not all the cells were removed.  Any reading below .1 is regarded as undetectable. The thing is I never found what was actually tested, or how many scans I would need.

Hope this makes things a bir clearer.

Sorry I have a stoma.

Follow up test protocol does depend on stage & grade pre & post op & original diagnosis. I was only TaG3 at diagnosis, went straight for RC & all clear post op path report. That makes me low risk follow up (most likely cured) so I had 3 monthly checks for 2 years, then 6 monthly for 2 years, now annually. At each visit, blood tests (pretty broad) & chest X-ray. No CT scans but I do have either ultrasound or renogram to check my kidney function & neobladder.

If higher risk eg already muscle invasive/suspect lymph nodes or worse, then CT scans would be part of follow up.

PS, the nurse was very amused one one occasion when the doc included PSA on the request for bloods...  indicates the rarity of female BC Px?

Hi, 

In my case, the cancer was invasive, but had just penetrated the muscle wall. Lymph nodes were clear.

Just as an aside woman actually do produce PSA, while lactating. The thing is PSA is not prostate specific and name only comes from the fact that it was first discovered in the prostate.

Brilliant! Every day is a school day. After my diagnosis, I decided to focus solely on bladder cancer rather than prostate too as mine was clear hence my poor knowledge.

These snippets of knowledge are the stuff of dreams for quiz compilers 

CB

That's interesting. As I often say, always something new to learn.

Still, being past the menopause & post RC (including removal of womb & ovaries) I don't think I came into that category...