What is Bladder Cancer?steemCreated with Sketch.

in #health7 years ago



In March 2006 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

I had never ever heard of cancer in the bladder.


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I had no pain, no idea that it was growing in there. It was after an intense workout with my personal trainer I noticed blood in my urine. I waited a few days to see if it would go away, it didn’t. I had back pain but attributed that to my work out. Frequent urination, yes but drinking a lot of water made sense as a reason.

After an ultra sound showed there was a large tumour taking up approximately 1/3 of my bladder, I had some blood work done. I was on the operating table within three days. The pathology was positive for cancer. A malignant tumour.

A million thoughts went through my head in a nano second and my emotions scrambled. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t process. I was frozen.



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Hearing the words, “it’s malignant, the tumour is cancerous” felt like the air and noise was sucked out of the room, everything slowed and I was left staring at a stranger, the surgeon, listening to words muted by the sheer panic going through my body.

“You will have this again,” he said. I replied, “No, thank you.”

“Within the next two years.” he continued.

What a lovely prophecy. He was right, it returned within 14 months. More surgery.



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Days, weeks and months passed and my body healed. Thankfully I did not need chemotherapy.

The doctor said this kind of tumour, transitional cell carcinoma or papillary urothelial carcinoma if you want to get technical, is the best kind of cancer to have if you are going to get it. As if any kind of cancer is good to have.

On purpose, I forgot the grade and stage he gave the tumour. I didn’t want it to have a name, or a degree. All I remember is that it would be recurrent.

If another tumour grows I will have it removed and then have immunotherapy called BCG. Three times is a charm I suppose.

In layman's terms BCG is the tuberculosis virus, live. It is passed into the bladder through a catheter. The purpose is to make the bladder lining inhospitable and hopefully prevent the cancer cells from invading deeper into the bladder lining. The infused liquid stays in the bladder for 15 to 30 minutes and the therapy is repeated over several sessions for 6 weeks.



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Bladder cancer has received a lot of attention in the last while. I’ve noticed commercials and talk shows list the symptoms, causes and prognosis.

There are several risk factors for this kind of cancer.

Smoking is one of the main risk factors and I grew up in a smoke filled house. I smoked for 25 years (although I quit 20 years before the cancer was diagnosed). It can take 20-40 years for a cancer to show up.

Check out this chart for risk factors



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Occupational Chemical Exposure

paints- especially professional painters
textile and dye manufacturing
transportation exhaust
aluminum and metal production
hair salons
- dyes, chemicals
chlorinated water

Exposure to Radiation

radiation therapies
people who are exposed to radiation at work

Medical Conditions

chronic bladder irritation
birth defects
pestisides
medications - some for diabetes



Here's some technical jargon regarding the staging of the different cancers. Note the differing tissue depths – that is how staging is determined and how a prognosis for future cancers is predicted.

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Since 2006 the cancer has returned twice. Thankfully it was easily removed and the type I had is less apt to invade other organs. I have an annual scope to keep ahead of it.

My prognosis is good. It’s been over 5 years since the last tumour and that means I am part of the 85% survival club for the tumour type.

I hope that you’ve learned something from my experience. I tried to keep this simple and kitchen table talk format. Just the facts without too many technical terms and details.


sources
Canadian Cancer Society
Fight Bladder Cancer
American Bladder Cancer Support
CxBladder


AWARENESS is key




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Thank you for sharing something that is both intimate and important. We all need to know the signs and symptoms of cancer. I read somewhere that cancer affects one in three families. I might wager a bet that it is more. There are more cancers being diagnosed daily. Early treatment is the key to beat it. Keep up the good fight!

That's so true. Because we have the technology to find these nasties earlier and earlier we end up knowing more people who have been affected.

It's important to not ignore or excuse possible symptoms like I did. Denial is always a bad thing. :)

But it is very human to deny these things...

sure.....denial is a defence mechanism...that's all....until we are ready to accept what is happening

Then you fight with all your might...

you're so sweet @cecicastor, thank you!

I have to say im sorru to hear that and my prayers go out to you. I am a true believer in cbd and thc. I also kinda believe that cancer is part fungus. My mother has myeloma which is a bone marrow cancer so i have put in 10 years of research on the matter of what fights cancer naturally. Frequency blasting on tumor cells, which wont be done,can destroy anything. Dr. Rift did it in the 50s and Holland is doing it now. I wish you the best if you have any questions or anything just ask, ill do my best to help in anyway.

I appreciate any prayers said on my behalf....that's very thoughtful. I'm healthy now....and not worried about illness....my post was to make people aware of how sneaky bladder cancer can be.

You should write a blog on your research.

Good stuff and yes sneaky. Maybe in the future. Thanks again.

@countrygirl A pleasant put up..I am exciting. Resteemed.

@countrygirl A great deal details thanks for sharing. Like it. Resteemed.

thank you @eadabrinn....appreciate that.

@countrygirl Very well performed for sticking at it! It's really a new technique for lifetime therefore you are modern-day pioneers. Adore it..

This post has received a 6.82 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @johnjgeddes.

@countrygirl This is awesome! Love it.

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