Bladder Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

@pol7 hi, they found a 3cm tumor on my left kidney in an are hard to reach through urethra. I had no symptoms at all. They watched it for 6 years without symptoms. It got to 5 cm and Dr decided to remove kidney as it was confined to my kidney and couldn’t be removed and save the kidney. That was 2 years ago. I have no limitations. Have gotten some urothelial cancer cell on bladder wall. All have been removed and started bcg treatments. You do what you have to do to beat. Everyone is different their bodies react differently. God bless. Harry

@janine1991 Thank you for sharing about the difference in catherization products. I have noted them for my up coming surgery on 2/2. I am so sorry you are dealing with blunders, it’s just so awful. Sending you strength.

@judyhigbee
I'm 78 years old and I've been dealing with bladder cancer since 2017 and have had several tumors removed over the years. In 2024 my annual scan found a tumor in my right kidney and 3 in the ureter. The kidney, ureter, and a small section of my bladder were removed. You can live with only one kidney. Good luck with your situation. 🙏🏻

@judyhigbee

Good afternoon, Judy,

I quit immunotherapy after five months because it was killing me; I couldn't eat, was exhausted all of the time, etc. That was last May & I asked the doctor at the cancer clinic how much time I'd have left, to which he said six months ot less. Since quitting that immotherapy, I've steadily regained my appetite, balance, and strength. In my opinion, I'm recovering from the immunotherapy, not the bladder cancer.

In hindsight, I would not endure that immunotherapy; it destroys quality of life, and the cancer wasn't known by me until my VA doctor found it, saying I'd probably had the cancer for many years. I had no symptoms. Yes, it's possible that the immunotherapy gave me a few more months of life, but it destroyed my quality of life. My appetite is slowly returning, my strength and balance, too. I lost 45 pounds during the treatment, but have gained 10 back.

The VA covered all of my expenses; however, the cost to my insurance for the immunotherapy was over $500,000, of which the VA paid all of the deductible.

Would I go through immunotherapy again? No way. Please let me know if you want more of my opinion on that issue. You can contact me through this site or private message for email.
In whatever you decide, God bless you & I wish you the best.

@treeman1942
How is the immunetherapy going? Oncology wants me to start Keytruda post removal of Upper ureter tumor.. now 7mm node appears 3 mos post op. I am healthy 82 year old and am concerned my last years will be full of side effects and quality of life will be poor. How r u doing?

Laparoscopy surgery Oct25 to remove 6cm tumor on the outside of my upper ureter near calyx of kidney. PET scan Jan 20 revealed 7mm ‘node’ in retro peritoneal space. Oncologist recommends Pembro tx (Keytruda)for forseeable future. Should I just have kidney et al removed? I am healthy 82 year old lady and my only real complaint is frequency…

Had left kidney removed in 2024 that had cancerous tumor. Six months later had 2 small tumors removed from bladder. Jan 2026 Cystoscopy revealed several high grade papillary urothelial tumors on bladder. Dr. stated he removed all of them and started BCG treatment. My first one was last Friday January 23, 2026. So far only very mild side effects. Dr Krishnamurthi at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus has done all my surgeries.

@colleenyoung Colleen and other members, The second pathology showed extensive lamina propria invasion with focal abutment of the muscularis propria; definitive muscle invasion couldn’t be ruled out. Imaging (MRI pelvis, CT chest/abdomen) shows no spread. Given tumor volume, depth, and staging uncertainty, my team is treating this as early muscle-invasive disease and recommending neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (guided by Univ Miami /Sylvester GU Medical Oncology) followed by radical cystectomy at a high-volume center, with curative intent (performed at Cleveland Clinic FL). I’d appreciate hearing from others who faced a similar T1 vs early T2 gray-zone decision.

@sepdvm thank you Sue for sharing your husband's experience. He certainly has been through a lot, but at least he is now cancer free for 4 years!

@pol7 your history sounds a bit like my husband’s. Tho his initial tumor was muscle invasive in a small diverticulum off the bladder. He was treated once with gem/doce after surgery to remove the diverticulum and tumor. One lymph node was positive so instead of continuing that he had Cisplatin infusions for 6 months. Then he was a BCG failure once on maintenance BCG. He tried Keytruda but no improvement. He finally elected radical cystectomy with neobladder as he was tired of the pattern of repeated Turbts. He is cancer free now 4 years after that surgery. Not really helpful for you facing gem/doce but likely others will chime in with their experiences.