Anyone with colon cancer metastasis to ureter and/or bladder?

Our experience with neobladder surgery has certainly included several complications and we are still dealing with more surgeries needed 9 months after the original surgery. With your history of colon cancer and surgery, I wonder if you would even be a candidate for neobladder. They must have enough ileum to form the neobladder, and scar tissue from previous surgeries is a big issue. It seems to me creating a neobladder would increase your odds of having a colon cancer recurrence there, vs a urostomy. It will be months before we know how well Tim can do with his neobladder, and he has lost some kidney function as a result of the complications. After the fact, we are finding out about the frequency of complications, because we did not ask enough questions about that topic in making our decision. Tim knew he did not want a urostomy, so his decision was made early. Knowing what we know now, I would have pushed for a urostomy over neobladder, but it wasn't my decision. Timeframe for Tim: 9/2019 partial cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer. 12/2021 total cystectomy,prostatectomy with neobladder creation. 122 abscess of incision line led to draining using thru incision, Leaking are was plugged by adjusting the foley catheter balloon. 3/22 CT scan shows one ureter partially plugged. 6/22 CT ureter is now closed off, not patent, causing hydronephrosis on that side. a week later a nephrostomy tube was placed and they tried unsuccessfully to open ureter, also biopsy showed no cancer there. Finally have an October 13 appointment to have ureter surgery to remove blocked portion and reattach to neobladder. The surgeon hopes to do it robotically and says very slight risk of complications from this surgery. Once this is healed, he can have the large incisional hernia repaired that was the result of the abscess,etc. This has been 3 years of multiple cystoscopies, biopsies, catheters and stents. It sounds like you are well aware of these things. Best of luck to you.

How are you doing, @suzyq2009? Did you submit a referral to Mayo Clinic? Any updates on treatment decisions?

Our experience with neobladder surgery has certainly included several complications and we are still dealing with more surgeries needed 9 months after the original surgery. With your history of colon cancer and surgery, I wonder if you would even be a candidate for neobladder. They must have enough ileum to form the neobladder, and scar tissue from previous surgeries is a big issue. It seems to me creating a neobladder would increase your odds of having a colon cancer recurrence there, vs a urostomy. It will be months before we know how well Tim can do with his neobladder, and he has lost some kidney function as a result of the complications. After the fact, we are finding out about the frequency of complications, because we did not ask enough questions about that topic in making our decision. Tim knew he did not want a urostomy, so his decision was made early. Knowing what we know now, I would have pushed for a urostomy over neobladder, but it wasn't my decision. Timeframe for Tim: 9/2019 partial cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer. 12/2021 total cystectomy,prostatectomy with neobladder creation. 122 abscess of incision line led to draining using thru incision, Leaking are was plugged by adjusting the foley catheter balloon. 3/22 CT scan shows one ureter partially plugged. 6/22 CT ureter is now closed off, not patent, causing hydronephrosis on that side. a week later a nephrostomy tube was placed and they tried unsuccessfully to open ureter, also biopsy showed no cancer there. Finally have an October 13 appointment to have ureter surgery to remove blocked portion and reattach to neobladder. The surgeon hopes to do it robotically and says very slight risk of complications from this surgery. Once this is healed, he can have the large incisional hernia repaired that was the result of the abscess,etc. This has been 3 years of multiple cystoscopies, biopsies, catheters and stents. It sounds like you are well aware of these things. Best of luck to you.

Hi. New here (F 62). I saw your post and had to respond since I am in the same boat. Trying to learn more about secondary andenocarcinoma to the bladder.

History:
In 2018, I was diagnosed colon andenocarcinoma. The cancer attacked my bladder and I ended up with a partial cystectomy. In 2020, I had a recurrence of the cancer and it, once again , attacked my bladder (about 2cm was removed) plus my left ovary. In early July (2022) , my 6-moths CT scan showed a mass, but the biopsy said it was scar tissue from the previous surgeries. In late July (2022), during my annual cystoscopy, my urologist spotted a small red spot (0.5cm) and some unusual bumpy spots on the surgical scar left from the partial in 2018. He ordered a biopsy (in August) and it turns out both samples are the original colon andenocarcinoma. So it has metastasized to the bladder. After the biopsy I had a CT scan which shows the cancer sitting on the bladder dome, just like it did in my first and second round, but this time it is also reaching out to the peritoneum.

What's happening now:
My urologist took the biopsy and CT data, plus my cancer history to the Tumor Board for recommendations. The board recommended chemo first and then surgery. I have a MRI and CT-PET scheduled for next week. The following week, I have an appointment to discuss treatment with my oncologist. I plan on getting at least 1 more opinion. I feel great so I think it was caught pretty early.

I am a cancer patient at the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, Arizona.

@p14175 Hello Linda and welcome to Mayo Connect. As you said, catching cancer early is a good thing.

I'm glad that you will seek a second opinion. That is so very important in getting the right treatment for your type of cancer. As you live in Arizona, have you considered a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix? If you are interested in seeking a second opinion at Mayo, here is a link that will take you to Mayo's appointment center, http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63.

If you care to share more, were you having symptoms that led to the original cancer diagnosis in 2018?

Thanks Teresa, I'll be checking with my insurance about covering the cost of a 2nd opinion at Mayo.

As far as your other question. Prior to diagnosis I didn't see health insurance as a necessary expense. I was healthy so paying as I needed it saved me a lot of money.

In late 2017 I started having UTIs over and over again. By the time things started getting bad, my doctor begged me to sign up for Obamacare, but it was too late. Obamacare deadline was December 15. At the beginning of 2018, I started having severe chills and shakes that would last about 2 hours and then go away. After stalling for 6 months, my doctor finally convinced me to get a colonoscopy and the rest is history. The colonoscopy showed an obstruction inside the colon. By the time I got to a surgeon a couple months later, the tumor had grown outside the colon. When the surgeon removed the tumor it weighed about 3 lbs and had reached out an touched my bladder, small intestine, and duodenum. I lost my sigmoid section, bits and pieces of small intestine, a little bit of the duodenum, had a partial cystectomy, and woke up with a loop ileostomy. I would say that I am lucky to be alive.

The next year I got health insurance.

@p14175 Hello Linda and thank you for sharing your journey with cancer. I'm so glad that you now have medical coverage.

Will you keep in touch as you continue this journey? I hope you get a second opinion from Mayo or any other major cancer center. Where is the nearest well-known cancer center?

Thinking of you and your husband today, Sue.