My understanding is that once a primary cancer metastasise to another part of the body then unfortunately this means that it will ultimately be terminal. In that case if cancer of the bladder spreads to the ureter is that considered to be metastatic and consequently eventually terminal
Hi Glen1, sorry to hear you have new growths. Always demoralising and a very reasonable cause for worry. I can’t advise ref lesion on Ureter, but I do know there are many treatments for bladder cancer including when it has spread to other areas. It could mean it can’t be cured but it doesn’t mean imminent death, there are some really good immunotherapy treatments which successfully control things for a long while. I had BCG treatment over three and a half years and my cancer came back 4 times during that period, I just ploughed on with the BCG and eventually I had a year without any reoccurrences. Now I have had two years no evidence of disease, still getting 6 monthly cystoscopies. Do you have an allocated CNS? If I was in your position I would’ve asking questions of my CNS, they are really knowledgeable specialists. Sending love H x
My understanding is that as ureter lining is the same tissue as bladder, it's simply a recurrence of TCC. Metastatic is when it grows through the bladder wall to an adjacent structure in the abdomen, or to a lymph node from where cells can travel to a more remote organ (typically lung or brain). There are lots of treatments available, even for some secondary cancers, so perhaps better to look at it as curable/incurable. Best wishes.
As Teasswill said ureter, urethra and bladder are all the same tissue so a recurrence. I have metastatic bladder cancer and thats because its in one of my lymph nodes that is classed as distant not regional. Metastatic is thought of as advanced they dont tend to use terminal unless its imminent. chemo, immunotherapy etc can extend life considerably. (This is all as far as in know im no expert)
