Any other females here with bladder cancer in their 50s?

Posted by talltxlady @talltxlady, Apr 25, 2023

Saying hello as a new member. Sometimes it's difficult to find info for females with bladder cancer, and sometimes it would be nice to have others to connect with.
Start BCG again in May. Have been off of it since December. It has been so nice not to have to think about any of that for a while. Starting to get nervous though, with bcg beginning again very soon. Praying the cancer stays away.
I think I'm the youngest one where I'm being treated. Any other females here with bladder cancer in their 50's?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Bladder Cancer Support Group.

@jcandersen9415

Hello! I’m 59 and was diagnosed last year. I’m trying to understand it all. My Dr isn’t very communicative. He’s matter of fact, this is what needs to be done and then I move on until my next appointment. Ive had two turbts and had the 6 weeks of weekly chemo treatments, then my next visit, I was clear. But the next 3 month check, the tumors were back. They described it like weeds in a garden. I’m trying not to freak out and get ahead of myself but am trying to read what I can about a healthy lifestyle.

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@jcandersen9415, pulling the weeds when they show up in the garden is a good analogy. But it's still hard news to get when you learn that a tumor has reappeared.

What is next? Will you have more treatment?

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@jowilliams1

Of course! My oncologist and surgeon agreed that I should have chemo prior to the surgery. I think that was to see if the chemo could shrink the tumor and hopefully also damage any other cancer cells in lymph nodes or anywhere else they couldn't see. I had chemo for three months (July-Sept), took a month off for my body to recover some from it (Oct) and get another CT scan and then had the RC with a neobladder "installed" on 11/7. They could tell from the tissue that was removed that the chemo had worked. There was damage to that tissue.

I'm personally glad that I did it before the surgery. The surgery recovery is pretty long so I was glad I already had the chemo behind me and could just concentrate on healing instead of also having to look towards chemo. The chemo I had was cisplatin and gemcitabine. It wasn't easy, but I just tried to concentrate on getting through the chemo first and then deal with the surgery later. One day at a time.

Is your oncologist suggesting chemo first?

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Hi Jo

Thanks for sharing that information . I completely understand your decision to go ahead with chemo before the RC. I’ve decided to go ahead with the RC first . I just want that part over with . My surgery is scheduled for the 21st May.

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