If the patient has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, their treatment care team will discuss their treatment options with them. It’s important that the patient thinks about their choices. They will want to examine the risks and benefits of bladder cancer treatment.
The therapies used the treatment of bladder cancer depends on the cancer’s stage and on other factors. Treatment options for those who have bladder cancer include immunotherapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, intravesical therapy, and surgery.
Sometimes, the best choice may include more than one kind of therapy, including surgery (alone or with other therapies, is a part the treatment for many bladder cancers. Surgery can get rid of early-stage bladder cancer. A significant concern in those who have early stage-bladder cancer is that new cancers have started to form in other parts of the bladder. Taking out the entire cancer (also called a radical cystectomy) is one way to sidestep this; however, it can have significant side effects.
If the whole bladder isn’t removed, other therapies may be done to try to reduce the chances of having a new cancer. Whether or not other therapies are chosen, close follow up is necessary to look for evidence of a new cancer inside the bladder.
Depending on the patient’s treatment options, they can have different kinds of doctors on their medical team. The kinds of doctors who manage the treatment of bladder cancers include medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and urologists. There may be other specialists on the patient’s medical team include rehabilitation specialists, nutritional specialists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other medical professionals.
It is vital to look at all the treatment choices, including the possible side effects and goals, with the doctor available to aid in making the decision that best suits the patient’s needs. A few things to consider include:
The patient may think that they must make a decision very quickly; however, it is crucial to give it some time to understand the information the patient has just learned. It is also extremely important that the patient ask questions of the doctor, especially if there is anything they are not sure about. The patient may also wish to get a second opinion. This can give the patient more information and can help the patient feel more sure about the treatment plan they chose. They need to ask their doctor if they want to get a second opinion.
The patient and their family may need to absorb exactly what the treatment involves and how they will manage after the treatment is over with. Prior to surgery for bladder cancer, the patient will need to have a preoperative evaluation at the hospital. They will need to have certain tests done to make certain they will be healthy enough for surgery. The doctor and nurses will tell the patient about the surgery and what to expect.
If the patient is planning on having a urostomy or content urinary diversion, the patient may need to see a stoma nurse prior to the procedure. Stoma nurses spend a lot of time taking care of stomas and teaching patient how to perform one. They may teach the patient before the surgery to help them learn how to take care of their stoma. In some cases, this can be done in the hospital after surgery.
At the initial visit, the nurse will answer the patient’s questions and will show them the various kinds of urostomy bags the patient will be using. They may give patient a kit to help them practice how to place the stoma. They can practice ways of putting on the stoma bags and can practice changing them. The nurse will explain to the patient how they can put tubes into the urostomy in order to drain the urine.
The patient may have blood tests that indicate how the kidneys are working. The patient will also need to have blood tests that can match their blood for the possibility that they will need blood during the procedure. The patient may have an x-ray to check on the function of the lungs prior to undergoing general anesthesia. If there are other health problems, the patient may need to have tests to ensure they are healthy enough for surgery.
If the patient’s surgeon will need to use a part of the bowel to find a new way of ridding the body of urine, the bowels will need to be cleaned out. The patient may need to follow a specific diet for a couple of days before the operation. The diet lessens the amount of stool in the colon. Some hospitals may require the patient take an enema prior to surgery in order to empty the colon completely.
After the surgery the patient is generally placed in a high dependency unit or in the ICU. When the patient first wakes up, they may need to have a heart monitor attached to them in order to check the function of their heart after surgery. After the patient has recovered from the anesthetic, the physiotherapists and nurses will help the person to move around as quickly as possible. Even if the patient is still in bed, they will help them with leg exercises and deep breathing exercises to prevent blood clots and lung infections.
Bladder cancer treatment is indicated in those patients who have some type of bladder malignancy. The most common malignancy seen in bladder cancer is transitional cell cancer of the bladder.
After the treatment is complete, they will need to have frequent checkups. The goal of these checkups is to see how the patient is recovering from the bladder cancer treatment. They also are used to assure that there is no evidence of recurring cancer. If this should occur, the doctor wants to make sure that the patient gets treated as soon as possible.
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