Bladder tumor
When faced with a diagnosis of "bladder tumor", a person finds themselves in a certain vacuum: they have to go through a whole series of procedures and, often, with different doctors. The team at our clinic has rejected this practice: we have created a continuously operating oncology council, where, at all stages of diagnosis and treatment, the patient is taken care of by their attending physician. They are constantly in touch with the patient and ensure the interaction of the entire oncology team.
What should a person do if they have been diagnosed with bladder cancer? — The answer here is unequivocal. Urgently make an appointment with an oncologist-urologist
Do not hesitate over the
futility of existence, do not seek answers in dubious sources, do not try to
self-medicate. I have said it many times before and I will repeat a very simple
thought: tumors do not like to wait. Unfortunately, in the case of bladder
cancer, time works against the patient.
That is why the work at the Dilanyan Clinic is organized in such a way that a patient with suspected bladder cancer undergoes consultations with all necessary specialists as quickly as possible, undergoes a comprehensive examination, after which the results of all examinations and analyses are discussed at a council. As a result, the patient is offered appropriate treatment.
Our Results
It is important to know!
The emergence of bladder cancer
Bladder cancer arises as a result of the
action of various carcinogenic substances on the mucous membrane, especially
those contained in cigarette smoke. Other factors include aniline and
benzodiazepine dyes. It is particularly important to note the presence of
hereditary and genetic factors: patients whose relatives have been diagnosed
with bladder cancer are at risk.
Most often, this disease occurs among specialists in the dyeing and oil refining industries, however
The most dangerous factor is smoking.
They affect the bladder mucosa, triggering the formation of cancer cells, in particular for aniline and benzidine dyes and other chemicals found in the work of a number of specialists.
A number of extremely dangerous substances, entering the blood through the lungs, are filtered by the kidneys and excreted through the urine, lingering in the bladder for several hours along the way. They also affect the bladder mucosa, triggering the formation of cancer cells.
How can one recognize the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer? Are there any pains, urination problems...
Almost half of patients notice blood in their urine.
Unfortunately, most often, this phenomenon passes within a few hours, and the
person thinks they just caught a cold. Then, after several months, they end up
in the hospital with advanced stages of bladder cancer. Therefore, if blood in
the urine is noticed, or if a close person complains of such a symptom, it is
necessary to urgently make an appointment with an oncologist-urologist.
However, unfortunately, blood in the urine with bladder cancer does not always
occur. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo ultrasound examination of the
bladder once a year, especially for smokers.
— Suppose a patient has blood in their urine, they had an ultrasound, and a bladder tumor was detected. What is the further diagnostic strategy?
— First of all, it is necessary to ensure that the detected tumor is malignant, and if so, to immediately determine the stage. For this, we perform cystoscopy - examination of the bladder. If a tumor is found during cystoscopy, we immediately perform transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) - excisionof the tumor with all the surrounding bladder walls, and send the obtained material for histological examination.
It is necessary to note that, unlike many clinics, we do not separate these two procedures, cystoscopyand TURBT. By offering our patients cystoscopy under anesthesia, we pursue two goals: firstly, to relieve them from pain during cystoscopy, and secondly, to have the opportunity to immediately remove the bladder tumor. At the Dilanyan Clinical Center,we apply the modern standard for diagnosing bladder cancer according to the latest recommendations of the European Association of Urology. Ultrasound of the bladderallows us to measure the size of the tumor, MRI helps understand if there are metastases in the lymph nodes, and chest CT excludes lung metastases. Cystoscopyand TURBTwith histological and immunohistochemical analysis verify and refine the diagnosis. The data obtained during these examinations are discussed at a council, and the patient is offered the most effective treatment for bladder cancer.
— Does the detection of a small bladder tumor require such an extensive diagnostic search?
— It is necessary to understand the following: in oncology, there is no concept of a "small tumor." There is a stage. A new formation protruding into the lumen of the bladder by only 10 mm can be either the first or the fourth stage. It all depends on how deeply it invades the bladder wall, whether it affects adjacent organs, whether there are metastases in the lymph nodes, bones, lungs.
That is why, upon finding a small tumor during cystoscopy, we perform complete excision of this tumor with the underlying bladder wall. Histological examination of the removed material shows how deeply the tumor affects the bladder wall.
— What are the modern methods of treating bladder cancer?
— Again: the treatment of bladder cancer depends on the stage of the tumor.For
example, we remove a solitary bladder tumor directly during TURBT, excising the
underlying and surrounding tissues without leaving any altered tissues behind.
If histological analysis shows that this tumor does not invade the muscular layer of the bladder, i.e., corresponds to the first stage, then further treatment involves intravesical BCG therapy or chemotherapy and periodic monitoring. However, if a patient has advanced bladder cancer, we suggest radical bladder removal. As for metastases to the lymph nodes and distant organs, systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy come to our aid.
Surgery for bladder removal
— Bladder removal surgery... Sounds terrible. How will a person, excuse me, urinate?
— Yes, indeed, radical bladder removal (cystectomy) is quite a difficult operation. Until quite recently, as a result of this operation, the patient had to walk with two bags attached to their body, collecting urine. There was no talk of any quality of life.
However, now there is a whole group of operations called "cystoplasty," through which the bladder is reconstructed.Most often, this is done directly during bladder removal surgery.As a result, the patient urinates as usual, without the need to wear various reservoir bags. If there are no contraindications to such intervention, then we definitely perform cystoplasty.
In our opinion, the treatment of bladder cancer should not cripple people. Modern capabilities allow us to safely perform a whole range of super-radical interventions for bladder cancer, without deteriorating the quality of life, without turning them into invalids.
AVAILABLE TIME
5 Фев, 2024