The Definitive Guide to Cancer by Lise N. Alschuler

Author:Lise N. Alschuler [Alschuler, Lise N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-81487-6
Publisher: Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony
Published: 2012-11-19T16:00:00+00:00

Conventional Treatment

Conventional treatment for bladder cancer relies heavily on surgery. Radiation and chemotherapy are used when cancer is more advanced and when it has spread.

Surgery

Surgery is used in almost all cases of bladder cancer. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer have superficial tumors, in which case surgery can usually cure the cancer. The goal of surgery is to remove all cancerous tissue and obtain a clean surgical margin. The margin size depends on the size and location of the tumor. Minimally invasive lesions may be completely removed by transurethral resection (TUR), which removes the cancer with minimal damage to the bladder. TUR is often performed during the initial biopsy surgery.

More advanced cancers may require a partial cystectomy (removal of part of the bladder and perhaps parts of nearby organs) or radical cystectomy. Radical cystectomy involves removal of the entire bladder, the pelvic lymph nodes, and the prostate in men, or the uterus and part of the vaginal wall in women. During or after a cystectomy, the surgeon may construct a new bladder made of the patient’s own tissue, which in many cases preserves continence (the ability to control urination).

Surgery is an important first step following a diagnosis of bladder cancer. A recent study featured in the Journal of Urology found that patients who delayed bladder cancer surgery for more than three months experienced decreased survival rates compared to those who were operated on within three months of their diagnosis.

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