Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Bladder Cancer Its Diagnosis and Treatment

Bladder Cancer is the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than women. However, the chances of a woman dying of bladder cancer are considerably higher. That is, the five year rate for women is equal to the ten year rate for men.

What are the warning signs of Bladder Cancer? One scenario may go like this, you have urge to urinate after lunch. Five minutes later you feel like urinating again, however, no urine comes out. Later you go to the bathroom in order to urinate again. Instead of urine, you have a flow of bright red blood for over a minute. According to reports the following are the most common warning signs: 1. Frequent urination particularly in small amounts. 2. When urinating, blood is seen rather than urine. 3. Pain or burning sensation during urination. 3. Frequent bladder infections can also be a sign. 4. Some other signs may include pain in the lower back near kidneys, swelling in the legs or a mass may present itself. These are not the only signs, but the most common. When in doubt always consult a physician.

How is Bladder Cancer diagnosed? Doctors will often perform a cystoscopy. This involves inserting a catheter thru the urethra into the bladder. At the end of the catheter is a scope which allows the doctor to look at the bladder. In more advanced facilities the image is projected onto a monitor and filmed. Other diagnostic tools include washing the bladder with a solution. After extracting the solution thru the catheter it is examined for cancer cells. Your doctor may also order CT scans which will be taken with and without contrast. All the above are done without anesthesia. A little discomfort may be present during the tests. True pain seldom occurs during these procedures.

If the doctor is suspicious of anything he sees on any test he will schedule a surgical biopsy. This is done with anesthesia and a cystoscopy scope that has a viewing apparatus and the ability to insert surgical tools. This surgery is also referred to as a TURBT. Since you are under anesthesia you won't feel anything. Depending on the amount of samples and or the size of the tumor if one is seen you may have to have a catheter for a few days in order to make urinating easier. This is where you may feel discomfort. It can include some burning or cramping. The doctor will prescribe medication to help you deal with the pain.

The hardest part comes next. It is the wait in anticipation of the results. When the diagnosis is confirmed you and your doctor will develop a plan of attack. This plan will be based on the results of the biopsies and cytology. Bladder cancer has a high control rate in the early stages especially if it is diagnosed as non-invasive muscle bladder cancer as opposed to muscle invasive.

What are the treatments for non invasive bladder cancer? If you had a biopsy you have gone thru the first part of the treatment plan. That is the removal of the tumor or tumors. Next comes the Chemo treatment. The most common treatment for non invasive bladder cancer is the infusion into the bladder once a week for six weeks with a drug called BCG. BCG is a modified bovine or cow tuberculosis vaccine inserted through a catheter into your bladder. After the serum is delivered to the bladder you will be asked not to urinate for two hours. During that time you will lie down and turn your body one quarter turn every fifteen minutes. For the next few days you may feel tired, have a temperature of up to 101 and have aching muscles. It is very much like the flu. With each treatment the reaction is more intense.

What comes next? The doctor will wait about a month after your last treatment. He will then do another cystoscopy. If everything is good he will wait another couple of months and repeat the procedure with 3 to six weeks of BCG. This may continue for a period of three years. The length between treatments and the number of treatments will decrease with time. After that your doctor will have you come in, depending on his protocol, every six months to a year for a cystoscopy. The results of this standard test to look in the bladder for cancer will dictate what your next step will be in fighting this disease.

This is the protocol for standard non invasive bladder cancer when the BCG is effective. Many other protocols exist. They include other drugs and or surgeries. Many individuals choose to have surgery to remove their bladders. This is a very personal decision made together with their team of doctors, surgeons and their families. Today it is even possible for a doctor to build a new bladder for you out of your intestine.

Most literature suggests the following: First, get a second opinion. Second, go to a teaching hospital and or an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. NCI stands for National Cancer Institute. The Federal Government makes all decisions on which facilities become part of the Federally administered NCI program. These can be found on the internet by going to the National Cancer Institute web site.

Friday, January 6, 2012

WARNING UNCENSORED THOUGHTS: Look out Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad

WARNING UNCENSORED THOUGHTS: Look out Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad: I new the count of returning service men just didn't seem right. It was as if some of them were still in the Mideast after Iraq. I had hea...

Look out Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad

I new the count of returning service men just didn't seem right.  It was as if some of them were still in the Mideast after Iraq.  I had heard they went to Kuwait.  Well surprise, 9000 of them are currently landing in Israel.  The name of the operation is Austere Challenge 12.  It is part of the largest joint US and Israel war game ever.

Is this a game changer after Iran's warning to stay out of The Strait of Hormuz?  Well this blogger says it is to allies acting like allies preparing and waving sabers at a world wide threat.  This not as much a game as it is a statement as many war games are.

On top of everything else great Britain who has for and against everything lately has made a commitment.  Yesterday, January 5, 2012 the British Secretary of Defense told the United States' think tank the Atlantic Council that the US and British would stop the closing of the Straits.  Forty Percent of the oil in the world flows through this area.  Iran accounts for 15% of the oil.

This may possibly be an attempt to fix the mess that Carter created when he help depose the Shau.  We got the Ayatollah Khomeni and a Islamic Theocratic Despot.  Let us not forget the holocaust denying President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  It could also mean a clear shot at taking care of any nuclear armaments that Iran has or may be planning.  Why would a country with 15% of the worlds oil need a nuclear energy plant?

Unfortuneately the pilot Ilam Roman from Israel died in the shuttle crash over Houston.  He was the youngest pilot in the operation that destroyed Iraq's nuclear facility.  No one would have know how to take the plant out in Iran with more skill.

US navy rescues Iranian hostages held by... JPost - International

US navy rescues Iranian hostages held by... JPost - International

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Exit Polls Show Santorum Tea Party Favorite - Maybe He Will Join The Other Losers

The Tea Party Backs Bachmann then steps away, Tea Party Backs Perry then steps away, Their new Beauty is Santorum. So when are they going to do their sturtaway in their cutaway from Santorum. The Tea Party held up decisions in Washington that caused our bond rating to be lowered. They do not believe in compromise. However, Palin the Queen of Tea seems to have disdain for Santorum. Maybe we will get lucky and Santorum will join the others and the Tea party will join Santorum and the rest of his cronies.

Why So Silent, Senator Santorum? | CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Why So Silent, Senator Santorum? CREW Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Palin says she’ll let Santorum’s wife, “call him a knuckle dragging Neaderathal.” Another example of Republicans eating their own. | Dirt & Seeds

Palin says she’ll let Santorum’s wife, “call him a knuckle dragging Neaderathal.” Another example of Republicans eating their own. Dirt & Seeds

Why Anti-Semitism Is Moving Toward the Mainstream

Why Anti-Semitism Is Moving Toward the Mainstream

Rubin Reports » Hamas Openly Joins Brotherhood; Brotherhood Openly Joins Hamas’s War on Israel

Rubin Reports » Hamas Openly Joins Brotherhood; Brotherhood Openly Joins Hamas’s War on Israel