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Actos Bladder Cancer : Sometimes an internal bladder connected to the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside of the body) isn’t possible and you will instead have a continent urinary diversion system. This means that you’ll have a pouch or reservoir, either external or more commonly internal, that collects your urine, and you’ll have to empty the pouch. This is also known as an ostomy or ileal conduit system.

The more common continent urinary diversion system is an internal reservoir, or pouch, made from a piece of intestine. The pouch is inside your body, but you must manually empty and flush the reservoir by inserting a syringe or catheter into a permanent ”hole” or stoma in your abdomen. Often the stoma is located unobtrusively in your navel, where it is not likely to be detected by a casual glance.

Your doctor, may, however, recommend an external pouch that is situated outside your body and attaches to your abdomen through a “hole” or stoma. You must manually empty the external pouch and cleanse the stoma. Either alternative sounds unpleasant, but having a pouch (particularly an internal reservoir) won’t interfere with your life or self-image as much as you might expect, if at all. You can still snorkel and swim. You can dance in a clingy, swingy dress or bike in Spandex shorts. You can do your job, whether it’s manning a drill press or managing a Fortune 500 company. And you can still look and feel sexy and enjoy a satisfying intimate relationship with your partner.

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One of the difficult issues for you and your medical team is to work out exactly what to do about the treatment of invasive bladder cancer. It is clear that cystectomy can be a life-saving procedure, yet many patients with invasive bladder cancer still eventually die of the disease, especially if it has penetrated the surrounding organs.

Your team will make a recommendation about treatment after carefully evaluating such very important factors as the extent of invasion by tumor cells (the stage), the normal or disorganized/abnormal appearance of die cancer cells under the microscope (grade), whether the cancer cells have invaded lymphatic channels or blood vessels, whether cancer cells are growing within the lymph nodes, and whether a specific cell control gene called P53 is normal.

If your cancer is organ-confined (i.e., if the cancer cells have not spread beyond the boundaries of the bladder and its immediate surrounding tissues), if it has not penetrated beyond the first layers of surrounding muscle, if there is no lymphatic or vascular invasion, and if lymph nodes are negative (i.e., they contain no cancer cells), the chance of permanent cure by cystectomy alone is around 80 percent.

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Since the 1950s it has been known that cancer-killing drugs (chemotherapy) can sometimes shrink bladder cancer that has spread through the body, and sometimes they can completely eliminate the deposits of cancer in different parts of the body. In the past 25 years, several studies have looked at the impact of combining chemotherapy with cystectomy or with radiotherapy in an attempt to improve survival figures. Before that discussion, let’s talk a bit about chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is a term that refers to the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is usually given by intravenous injection (injection by needle directly into the vein), but sometimes it can be administered as a tablet or even through a urinary catheter (intravesical) for a patient with superficial bladder cancer. (See Chapter 4.) There are many different types of chemotherapy, and a detailed discussion is beyond the scope of this book. Your medical team will talk with, you about what type of chemotherapy is best for you and why.

In brief, chemotherapy drugs mostly act to interfere with the ability of cancer cells to divide and multiply, often by inhibiting the function of enzymes within the cells or by blocking cell division and the formation of RNA and DNA, the substances of life. Because these drugs act on cells that are dividing and multiplying, they can also affect some normal tissues and thus can cause a range of side effects.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer : Not resting on their laurels, the clinical research community has moved forward and is now testing a new combination that adds paclitaxel, another active drug mentioned above, to the gemcitabine- cisplatin regimen. A three-drug combination (gemcitabine-cisplatin- paclitaxel) has been compared to the two-drug standard, to see whether this produces better cancer shrinkage and improved survival. In June 2007, the first report of this trial was made public. It indicated that the three-drug combination offered no significant benefit compared to gemcitabine-cisplatin and was associated with more side effects.

Another new agent, pemetrexed, also targets the division and reproduction of cancer cells, and has a relatively gentle profile with regard to side effects. It is being tested in patients who have already been treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin to see whether it will cause tumor shrinkage. Early reports are promising, but its true use­fulness is not yet known, and it has not yet been assessed by the Food and Drug Administra tion, which must give formal approval for its use in the treatment of bladder cancer.

In addition to the use of chemotherapy, another class of anti-can- cer agents, the so-called growth inhibitors or targeted agents, is being tested in patients with advanced bladder cancer. It is known that pro­teins located on the surface of cancer cells can control the rate of DNA production and division and stimulate cancer-cell growth. An example is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which sits on the surface of some bladder-cancer cells and helps to control the rate at which they grow and divide. Inhibitors of the function of EGFR (and of the genes that control its production) have been developed and are known to slow or stop the growth of some cancer cells.

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You may be alarmed if your doctor suggests the possibility of par­ticipating in a clinical trial Does it mean that you have no hope? What should you do? How should you respond? It’s important not to dismiss the idea out of hand. The words experimental, research, and human volunteer can be upsetting, particularly at a time when you are dealing with the emotional issues surrounding a diagnosis of advanced cancer. But treatments in clinical trials can often be highly beneficial to those who volunteer. You and your loved ones should talk with your medical team members about the kind of clinical trial they are recommending and why it may benefit you. In fact, several studies have shown that patients participating in clinical trials have better outcomes than those found in the community at large. However, this also may be due to the types of patients who agree to participate in trials.

Does referral to a clinical trial mean that there is no hope of your surviving this illness? Not at all! There is always hope of survival, and any doctor can tell you about people who have responded positively to treatment and not only survived, but thrived. Being in a clinical trial doesn’t mean that you won’t continue to receive medical treatment; you wall, and since it’s a voluntary process, you have the right to stop participating in the trial at any time.

As with any aspect of your treatment plan, you make the decision about whether to proceed. Don’t feel pressured to participate in a trial if it doesn’t feel right for you, but do give it objective thought and consideration. How do you begin thinking through the decision on whether to participate in a trial?

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Probably the first question that comes to your mind is whether clinical trials are safe. Scientists and medical investigators work hard to ensure that they are as safe as possible. The medical community and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Sendees have put rules in place ensuring that every clinical trial is highly regulated and reviewed by health-care professionals, who determine that the trial is designed and conducted in compliance with federal regulations gov­erning research on human volunteers. Everything about the trial, from the doctors involved to the people who volunteer and the treat­ment being tested, is subject to strict review and monitoring. However, it is important to understand that some clinical trials do carry increased risks.

As with any treatment, you’ll want to ask about possible risks, ben­efits, side effects, how the treatment works, and what results doctors expect from the study.You’ll want to know who is conducting the clin­ical trial and what kind of oversight is in place. Also ask what is expected of you. Where will you go for the treatments? How often will you go? Are there more tests or office visits than you might have with standard treatment? Who administers the treatments and how are the results measured? Do you have to report regularly to those running the trial? Who pays for it all? Will there be extra costs to you as a result of your participation? Will the team conducting the trial (or the doctors involved) stand to benefit personally from the results of the trial or its conduct?

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer :  TURBT is often the first procedure you will have once diagnosed with a bladder tumor. This surgery is typically performed under general or spinal anesthesia as an outpatient procedure and without any incision, endoscopically through the urethra, which means a cystoscope is placed through the urethra and into the bladder. Through this scope your urologist can see the inside of your bladder and has the ability to resect, or remove, tumors in the bladder under direct vision using electrocautery. The electrocautery is also used to control bleeding after the resection is completed. TURBT is extremely important for the staging of bladder tumors but can also be therapeutic for lower stage bladder cancers. Once the tumor has been removed, it can be analyzed under the microscope by a pathologist. The pathological findings dictate further treatment decisions. If the tumor is low grade and noninvasive, you will likely not need any further therapy at this point except for close follow-up.

By and large, you can expect to go home the same day that this procedure is performed. Depending on the extent and depth of resection, your urologist may decide to send you home with a Foley catheter in place for a few days to allow time for your bladder to heal. Generally, this procedure is well tolerated, but it is not uncommon to see blood in the urine for several days after the procedure. Many patients also experience lower urinary tract symptoms, including painful urination, frequency, and urgency for up to several weeks following the procedure.

Radical cystectomy is the gold standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer and is also the procedure of choice for individuals with high-grade recurrent bladder tumors. Radical cystectomy has proven to provide excellent long-term cancer-free survival in individuals whose bladder cancer has not spread beyond their bladders or into their lymph nodes. Radical cystectomy is the therapy by which all other treatments are compared and judged.

Technically speaking, radical cystectomy for men involves removal of the bladder and prostate and also includes removal of the pelvic lymph nodes. In women, the bladder and typically the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and portions of the vagina are removed, although more recently surgeons have been moving toward preservation of some of these structures to improve quality of life. Because the main function of the bladder is to store urine that is made by the kidneys, a mechanism for diversion of urine outside of the body or storage of urine in a newly created reservoir must be performed in the same setting. Various types of urinary diversion are discussed below.

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Traditionally, the surgery is performed through a lower abdominal incision in the midline from just below the umbilicus (i.e., “belly button”). Hospitalization for this procedure is generally between 5 and 10 days, and up to 6 weeks are needed for complete recovery. In recent years minimally invasive surgical approaches that replicate the technique of open radical cystectomy have been developed. Both laparoscopic and robotic-assisted radical cystectomies are currently being performed at highly specialized centers. The principles of the surgery are the same, but the procedure is performed through smaller incisions using laparoscopic instruments. Using robotic assistance, your surgeon is able to perform complex operations with higher precision, under magnification. These approaches offer die potential advantage of a shorter recovery time, less blood loss, and less postoperative pain.

A pelvic lymph node dissection should be performed at the time of your surgery. This involves removal of the lymph node tissue in the most common areas of bladder cancer metastasis (spread of the cancer). The pelvic lymph node dissection has two important roles: to stage the cancer and to guide therapy. Individuals who are found to have cancer in the lymph nodes at the time of surgery generally require additional therapy such as chemotherapy. Studies have shown that up to 30 percent of patients with disease- positive lymph nodes who undergo a pelvic lymph node dissection will be free of disease at 5 years. Although there is debate among urologists as to exactiy how extensive ofapelvic lymph node dissection should be performed, there is no debate that one should be performed. Although a pelvic lymph node dissection can add an additional 30-90 minutes to your procedure time, there is little additional morbidity associated when performed by an experienced surgeon.

Regardless of the approach, anyone who undergoes a radical cystectomy will require a form of urinary diversion because the bladder will no longer be there to store urine. This can have a significant psychological and functional impact on an individual’s quality of life. Patients are often hesitant to undergo definitive surgery because of the anxiety associated with long-term urinary diversion. There are two main types of urinary diversion: continent and noncontinent. Both forms require surgically removing a segment of bowel (most commonly the small bowel) from your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and plugging the ureter from each kidney into this segment of bowel to provide drainage of urine. Noncontinent diversions (ileal conduit) are those in which the piece of bowel is brought up through the abdominal wall to a stoma and the urine drains continuously into a drainage bag. This is die most common type of urinary diversion performed in the United States. This procedure requires approximately 8 to 10 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) of small bowel, which is far less than that used for continent urinary diversions. Although the obvious disadvantage of this procedure is its lack of continence and need for a continuous drainage bag, it has less short- and long-term complications than that of the continent diversion. An external urinary drainage appliance is very well tolerated and patients adapt to them very quickly.

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Alternatively, a continent urinary reservoir can be reconstructed using small or large bowel. Unlike noncontinent diversions, larger segments (up to 60 cm [2 feet]) of bowel are configured into a pouch that can store urine. There are two main types of continent diversions: orthotopic and continent-cutaneous. An orthotopic continent diversion is one in which the newly reconstructed pouch is reconnected back to your urethra and voiding occurs in much the same manner as before cystectomy. Continent-cutaneous diversions use a small channel made of bowel that is brought up through the skin on the abdominal wall. Unlike the noncontinent diversions, this type of diversion does not constandy drain urine but instead collects it in the pouch. Several times a day a catheter is passed through this channel in the sldn to empty the urine from the reservoir. Although these diversions allow for urinary continence, which most replicates normal function, they are associated with increased complication rates and require much more effort to maintain compared to the ileal conduit. Additionally, multiple studies have not shown that quality of life is significantly improved with continent diversion compared to noncontinent diversion.

Sexual dysfunction after pelvic surgery can have a major impact on quality of life for both men and women. In recent years radical cystectomy with the aim of preserving sexual function has been explored in both men and women. Patients with evidence of cancer invading through the bladder wall either on preoperative imaging or at the time of surgery are not ideal candidates for this type of procedure. In men this entails sparing of die nerves involved with potency that run along and underneath the prostate. In doing so, sexual potency may be preserved in a significant percentage of men. More recently, some surgeons have explored the possibility of preserving a portion of the prostate or seminal vesicles, which are traditionally removed at the time of surgery. Preservation of these structures also decreases the risk of erectile dysfunction after surgery by not damaging the nerves that run in close proximity to diem.

Preservation of a portion of the prostate at the time of surgery also may improve continence in men undergoing an orthotopic bladder reconstruction. Although nerve sparing can be performed with little risk of decreased cancer control in appropriately selected patients, prostate- and seminal vesicle-sparing surgery are more controversial because there is potential for an increased risk of cancer recurrence and also die potential for leaving undiagnosed prostate cancer behind. In women, sexual function preserving radical cystectomy has also been explored. This involves preservation of the nerves important in both clitoral engorgement and sensation. Preserving organs traditionally removed at the time of surgery, including the uterus, fallopian tube, ovaries, and portion of vagina, may also allow for improved sexual function after surgery. It should be remembered that die first goal of surgery is cancer control, and organ- and nerve-sparing procedures may not be appropriate in all cases.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer : The word “invasive”refers to whether cells from your bladder cancer have “invaded” the muscle wall of the bladder, and if so, how far into the layers of muscle tissue it has penetrated.This can usually be deter­mined from biopsy results, or occasionally when an operation has been performed to remove the bladder and some of the surrounding tissues. In some cases, organs near the bladder (such as the vagina in women, or the prostate in men) may have been invaded as well.

Invasive cancer extends further into the body than superficial TCC does and is therefore a more serious stage of the disease. It requires more complicated treatment, such as surgical removal of the bladder. This may, in turn, change how you manage basic physical functions in your everyday life, such as your bathroom habits and even your sex life. Also of importance is the significant rate of recurrence connected with invasive cancer. Often other organs, such as the lymph nodes, lung or liver, are involved.

Despite such a gloomy introduction to this chapter, there is every reason for you to be hopeful if youVe been diagnosed with invasive cancer. Current treatment, which includes surgery (cystectomy), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or two of these approaches com­bined, offers you an excellent chance for long-term survival and, in many cases, for a cure. This applies particularly to those invasive tumors that have not penetrated outside the bladder, the so-called ” organ- confined” tumors.

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There is no question that the after effects of surgical removal of the bladder (cystectomy) can be unsettling to think about. You won’t have a bladder or maybe even a urethra any longer. How will you be able to pass urine? Will you have to have some type of urine-collect­ing bag? Will there be an odor? Will it show when you wear certain clothing? We’ll talk about all those things in more detail, but in brief, your team will need to surgically create an artificial urine-collection system for you. This is known as a urinary diversion system. In years past, the only option was a urine-collection bag worn outside the body which many people found to be unpleasant or even embarrassing.

The good news is that now, in many cases, an artificial bladder (sometimes called a neobladder) can be fashioned from a piece taken from the intestine (bowel), enabling you to void urine in a normal or near-normal fashion. You’ll have to learn to use a different set of mus­cles when urinating, and there may be some leakage now and then, particularly at night. Leakage can be controlled by wearing under­wear designed with a disposable pad or, for men, a sort of condom. Overall, it’s a more attractive option that makes it easier to face a complicated and often scary surgery such as cystectomy. And with modern techniques, most patients no longer have to contend with urinary leakage, except on rare occasions.

Even if you are disappointed because the creation of an internal urinary diversion system is not possible in your situation, keep in mind that there is also no question that cystectomy is a powerful weapon against invasive bladder cancer that can increase your odds of living a long, cancer-free life. Cystectomy is the most common treatment option for invasive blad­der cancer. In most cases, your medical team will recommend a com­plete (or radical) cystectomy. This means that your bladder, the lymph nodes tucked around your bladder in the abdomen, the prostate in men, and the uterus, ovaries, and part of the vaginal wall in women will be surgically removed. Depending on where the cancer is locat­ed, the urethra may also be removed.

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It’s easy to confuse some of the terms your doctors use, such as “cystoscopy”(a diagnostic pro- cedure that introduces a tube into the bladder so that the doctor can look at the inner surface and take a biopsy) and “cystectomy” (the surgical removal of the bladder). Don’t hesitate to ask your doctors for clarification. Cystectomy seems like a drastic surgery, doesn’t it? Why remove so many body parts? Why not just take the tumor and some surrounding tissue?

Depending on where your tumor is located, the cancer-causing substances responsible for the tumors in your bladder were also fil­tered through the kidney, ureters, and urethra, and there is a possibil­ity that tumors may be forming in those organs, too. In particular, the tissues lining the bladder, ureters, and urethra (known as the urothe­lial tissues) may be at risk from the after effects of cancer-causing substances, such as agents in cigarette smoke or industrial dyes. Also, because your cancer may have penetrated the muscle wall, it’s possi­ble that organs surrounding the bladder, such as the prostate, uterus, or vagina, may also be at risk from further growth of the cancer cells.

So in the case of bladder cancer, which often recurs or spreads to other organs, you’ll have a much better chance of a cure once organs and tissue have been removed in areas where the disease is likely to spread or where it may already have infiltrated. And a cure is what you and your doctors most definitely want to strive for. Sometimes, if the cancer is very localized and surrounded by plenty of healthy, noncancerous tissue, a partial cystectomy might be recommended, whereby only a portion of the bladder is removed and some or all of the surrounding organs may be saved.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer : A catheter is a plastic or rubber tube which is placed through the urethra into the bladder. It is kept in place by a fluid filled balloon, at the end of the catheter, which is inflated in the bladder. The tube allows for drainage of urine which may be mixed with blood after a TURBT. When small tumors are removed, a catheter is not usually required unless there is a concern that you may have difficulty urinating after the procedure because of an enlarged prostate, weak bladder or swelling of the urethra after instrumentation. After large tumors are resected, a catheter is often required. It serves the following purposes:

It allows one to monitor the amount of bleeding after surgery (although the urologist attempts to stop all bleeding, this is not always possible and bleeding may persist). It provides for bladder irrigation if required. If much bleeding is present after surgery, it is important to avoid the possibility of blood clots forming and blocking the flow of urine. Irrigation can be done intermittently with a syringe or continuously via a 3 way catheter, which has a port for inflow and outflow of irrigant. It keeps the bladder decompressed, which may be important if the resection was deep and bladder integrity is in question. The bladder may have been thinned markedly in the area of resection or biopsies. Decompression provides for reduced risk of leakage through the wall of the thinned bladder.

The experienced urologist uses several techniques to improve his chances of removing tumors that are difficult to reach. He will often keep the bladder under filled. Although this may reduce visibility, it will allow the tumor to be closer to the resectoscope. Another technique is to place manual pressure on the bladder from above. This is done by an assistant or by the urologist himself. By pushing down from above, tumors at the dome are displaced downwards. An additional technique, for the male patient, is operating through a perineal urethrostomy. The urologist makes a surgical opening into the urethra between the scrotum and rectum, allowing the resectoscope to move further into the bladder, bypassing much of the urethra.

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There are potential risks and complications of any surgical technique. Bladder tumor removal via resectoscope is usually safe and complication free. However, potential problems may arise:

Bleeding is usually present, but rarely severe. Some tumors are more vascular than others and will bleed more. In addition, the resection will involve the bladder wall and vascularity varies here as well. Transfusions are not generally required unless an individual starts with a low blood count from previous bleeding or medical condition. Bleeding can be an on going concern until the bladder completely heals weeks later. Catheterization and irrigation may be required. Just a small amount of blood will change the color of urine red. Urine that is punch colored or the color of rosé wine generally is not serious and will clear on its own. When the urine has large amounts of blood in it, the appearance generally looks like tomato juice, indicating serious bleeding requiring medical attention.

Bladder perforation may occur, especially with large tumors or those located on the lateral bladder walls. During resection of tumors on the lateral walls, the obturator nerve, which runs alongside the outside of the lateral bladder wall, may cause a strong muscle contraction. This contraction can abruptly move the bladder during a resection, resulting in a perforation. During resection of a large tumor with solid base, the urologist proceeds with deep resection of the tumor to remove the entire tumor and also determine whether or not it is a high stage tumor with muscle invasion.

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Bladder walls differ in size and integrity, and sometimes a perforation may occur. In addition, bladders which have previously been subject to some form of stress such as radiation or chemotherapy may have extremely poor integrity and are subject to pulling apart during a resection, resulting in a perforation. Bladder perforation is usually detected during the resection when the urologist sees fat (perivesical fat is located on the outside of the bladder). Sometimes, during a particularly bloody resection, the perforation may not be visible intraoperatively, but discovered when the lower abdomen becomes firm and distended (indicating that a large volume of fluid has passed into the abdomen). Small perforations are usually handled by stopping the procedure and maintaining a catheter for a week or more. Large perforations, especially those that communicate with the peritoneal cavity (the cavity that encases the bowels) generally require open surgical repair. Perforations can potentially spread cancer beyond the bladder.

Ureteral injury may occur when a tumor covers the ureter in the bladder. The ureter may be obscured by a bladder tumor, and the urologist may inadvertently resect it along with the tumor. In general, cutting current to remove a bladder tumor does not usually lead to long lasting problems as compared to cauterization, which is more likely to cause permanent blockage or obstruction of the ureter. If the urologist is working in the area of the ureter, he should avoid cauterization as much as possible. He may ask the anesthetist to inject an intravenous coloring agent which will turn the urine blue and allow visualization of the ureter. If he knows a ureter may be in jeopardy, he may insert a stent (a small plastic tube that traverses the ureter) for several weeks to allow the ureter to heal in an open fashion.

Urethral injury is infrequent and is almost always in males. A stricture or narrowed area of the urethra may result from irritation or injury from the resectoscope pressing on the urethra. Individuals that develop strictures complain of difficulty urinating, experiencing a slow or split stream. Strictures are usually readily handled with a number of urologic procedures.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer : Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is one of the new­est imaging modalities in use. Hie images that it provides are very detailed, and MRI has the added advantage of ob­taining these images without the use of radiation. How­ever, it does take a lot longer than the imaging modalities previously mentioned and is quite expensive. MRIs are performed when you lay on a small table and are passed through a small tube, which is actually a collection of very strong magnets. Because of this, it is very important to remove all metal objects and jewelry before this exam. If you have a fear of small spaces and become anxious at the thought of them, you may be given a small dose of an anti­anxiety medication before the exam. There are two types of MRI machines currently in use: open ones, which are more comfortable, and closed ones.

Although MRIs are wonderful tests that provide a great view of the urinary system, there are a few risks. If you have an aneurysm clip from a prior brain procedure, you must let your doctor know because this clip could become dislodged during the exam. No one with a cardiac pace­maker should have an MRI performed. If you have any type of implanted device such as an electrical stimulator or pump, you should not have an MRI performed. Pregnant women during the first trimester should not have an MRI; neither should metal or machine workers who may have a small fragment of metal in their eye. Contrast is sometimes given during MRI exams and patients rarely experience al­lergic reactions to it. MRI pros include detailed imaging and a lack of radiation. Its cons are its expense and patient discomfort due to claustrophobia.

Any of the previously mentioned exams may be ordered during your workup. As mentioned before, it is extremely important that you bring copies of the actual images with their accompanying reports to your first appointment with, members of your bladder cancer team.

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Cancer grade and stage are two terms you will most likely hear abotit during the course of treatment. Bladder cancer grade and stage are not the same and should not be used interchangeably to describe your cancer. Grade, expressed as a number, is used to describe the appearance of cells under the microscope and increases from i to 4 depending on how they look compared with normal cells. Grade of cancer refers to the aggressiveness of the disease. Grade 4 cancers are typically more aggressive than grade 1 cancers, and they recur more often. Cancer staging describes the extent or spread of the disease at the time of diagnosis. It is essential in determining the choice of therapy and in as­sessing prognosis. Cancer stage is based on the size and location of the primary tumor and whether it has spread to other areas of the body.

Surgery plays an important role in both the staging and subsequent treatment of bladder cancer. Transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TURBT) is the initial treat­ment step in the vast majority of patients with bladder cancer. TURBT provides valuable staging information, and pathological results from these procedures are used to make further decisions regarding what, if any, addi­tional therapy is needed. The gold standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer is radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder). Advances in surgical technique and anesthesia have reduced the complications associated with this procedure in the last two decades. The develop­ment of continent urinary diversion, which allows one to empty the bladder through the urethra, is an option for certain patients. Minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic or robotic-assisted radical cystectomy may also be treatment options.

In addition, bladder-sparing procedures (either with partial removal of the bladder or aggressive TURBT frequently in combination with che­motherapy and/or radiation therapy) have allowed some patients to treat their cancer while leaving their blad­ders intact. Advances in surgical techniques continue to this day with the development of minimally invasive approaches to cystectomy. Both robotic-assisted and lapa­roscopic radical cystectomy have been performed safely in highly specialized centers and have the potential for decreased morbidity and a shorter period of recovery, but longer term follow-up is needed to determine if these pro­cedures are equivalent to open surgical techniques.

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The first person you will meet with a new diagnosis of blad­der cancer is your urologic oncologist. When you call to make the appointment, you will be asked whether or not a surgeon (usually a urologist) has already performed a biopsy to confirm that you indeed have bladder cancer. If they have, you will be asked to bring with you (or have sent to the urologic oncologist’s office) the glass slides of the actual pathological material taken at the time of the biopsy for review by another pathologist. You will also be asked for the written report of the original pathologist’s interpreta­tion of your biopsy material, all images taken in evaluation of your bladder cancer (either on CD or printed film) along with the written report of then interpretation, and any sur­gical operative notes from procedures performed by sur­geons seen in the initial evaluation and diagnosis of your bladder cancer.

Be sure to obtain the address and clear directions, if neces­sary, of specifically where you are to go and what time you are to be at your initial appointment. If you haven’t been to the facility before, allow yourself extra drive time to find it, find parking, and get to the location where the doctor will be. Being late only frustrates and distracts you from your ultimate goal of determining the treatment to help you arrive at your desired outcome. Bring the information requested above to ensure that your visit is as productive and efficient as possible for you and the doctor who will be seeing you. Often, the urologic oncologist or his or her of­fice may have requested that the pathology slides be sent in advance with the goal that his or her urological pathologist can look at them before your arrival and render an opinion about the accuracy of the information provided in the typed report that you will bring from the outside evaluation. It is also helpful to know in advance if your insurance company requires you to get preauthorization for having additional tests done, such as a CT or MRI.

There are situations in which the urologic oncologist, once he or she has reviewed the films, may find them inadequate. If this occurs, he or she may want to get additional imaging done while you are there for this visit. It is also likely the urologic oncolo­gist will want you to leave your imaging studies with them to be reviewed by a radiologist. The imaging studies per­formed on your behalf are your property, but your urologic oncologist may need to retain them for use during your surgical care. Once the surgery and associated care for your bladder cancer is completed, the imaging studies can be returned.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer : Hernia: After surgery, there is an increased risk of developing an incisional hernia (a hernia through the original incision) or an inguinal hernia (a hernia in the groin). A hernia represents a weakening of the thick outer layer of tissue which holds the abdominal contents in place. With a hernia, there is an abnormal protrusion of peritoneal sac and possibly bowel. Herniation of bowel may lead to a lack of blood flow to the herniated intestine which can be serious if left untreated. Surgical correction of the hernia is usually recommended to avoid this possibility and to eliminate discomfort.

Prolonged ileus: For some individuals return of bowel function may be delayed by several days or longer. Your urologist will be following you carefully to make sure a bowel obstruction or bowel leak is not present. Ileus may require leaving the nasogastric tube in to suction off excessive fluid. In addition, hyperalimentation (complete nutrition delivered intravenously) may be initiated if the ileus is prolonged.

Urine leak: The ureters are sewn to the ileal loop in a watertight fashion. In addition, small tubes, called stents, are placed through the ileal loop, through the anastomosis of the ureter to the loop, up the ureter into each kidney. These tubes are placed to allow the ureteral-ileal anastomosis to heal and to prevent leakage. They are generally removed weeks after surgery. Besides these stents, a drain or drains are placed to siphon off any urine which may still leak from the anastomosis. Prolonged urine leakage into the abdomen will generally result in ileus and possibly secondary infection. Persistent urine leak may result from the lack of good blood supply to the ends of the ureters. Leakage is also increased in those who have had pelvic radiation in the past for other malignancies. Prolonged leakage may require repeat surgery.

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Wound infection: The rate of wound infection is low. Rates are increased in diabetics, obese individuals, prolonged surgery, and in those individuals whose body temperature drops excessively during surgery. Excellent surgical technique and the use of antibiotics can lower the rate. Wound infections generally will require opening the area to allow drainage. Wound infection can result in weakening of the abdominal closure, which can cause a hernia or more rarely an evisceration (a disruption of the abdominal closure), requiring immediate surgical closure.

Cardiovascular complications: Major surgery can result in significant physical stress to the body and its physiology. Cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart beats) may occur and warrant medical therapy to correct. If serious, a cardiologist may be consulted. Life threatening arrhythmias may require cardioversion to correct or even the possibility of a pacemaker. A heart attack (a vascular blockage to the heart) or a cerebrovascular accident also referred to as a stroke, are fortunately rare, but sometimes devastating complications which can prove to be fatal. It is essential an individual facing major surgery with cardiac or vascular disease be properly screened prior to surgery to rule out and correct any serious underlying abnormalities. One should not face surgery with an unstable major underlying condition without correction or improvement when this can be reasonably achieved.

Pulmonary problems: After surgery, it is essential to do deep breathing exercises usually with a device called a spirometer. Bed rest, pain from surgery, and the sedative effects of pain medication can all lead to inadequate aeration of the lungs, which can lead to atelectasis (a collapsed area of the lung). Left untreated, atelectasis can lead to infection (pneumonitis or pneumonia), a potentially serious complication. For those with preceding lung disease, a respiratory therapist will likely be requested to work with the patient to clear lung secretions and increase aeration to prevent infection.

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Another potential serious pulmonary problem is called pulmonary embolus. A pulmonary embolus causes damage to the lung by a blood clot which forms in another area of the body, travels through the veins of the body and ends in the lungs. Blood clots can form in the pelvic veins as a result of surgery. They can also form in the lower extremities because of prolonged bed rest and immobility after surgery. Compression stockings used during and after surgery until mobility resumes help to prevent clots in the legs. Getting the individual out of bed and ambulating as soon as possible after surgery are important to prevent clots from forming. In addition, subcutaneous heparin (a medication that stops clotting) can be given during the post-operative period to lessen the possibility of pulmonary embolus without a substantial increase in post-operative bleeding. The symptoms of a pulmonary embolus are shortness of breath and pain in the chest with breathing.

Clinical signs include a rapid heart beat and poor oxygenation of the blood. Diagnosis is confirmed with a ventilation-perfusion scan. This study will demonstrate a lack of blood flow in various parts of the lung which have good air flow (a finding consistent with a vascular blockage by a clot). In many institutions, a CT angiogram of the lungs has become the preferred study because of the speed of the study and its enhanced accuracy. An individual must not be allergic to IV contrast, nor have significant renal insufficiency if this test is to be ordered. Pulmonary emboli are usually treated with supportive measures such as supplemental oxygen and anti-coagulation of the blood to prevent further clots from forming and migrating. If a large clot has formed and continues to embolize to the lung, a small filter device may be placed in the main vein of the abdomen (the inferior vena cava) to prevent further clots from traveling to the lungs.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer :

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If the results of your tests-—-either scans or biopsies-—- show that cancer has spread to other tissue or organs, your doctor will want to confirm that. Clarification of the stage of your cancer comes through looking at the cancer cells from those organs under the microscope. Tissue samples may be taken at the time of your biopsy, or sometimes a needle biopsy is done, bypassing the need for additional surgery.

Pathologists stage bladder-cancer tissue by using a standardized system known as TNM, which stands for tumor- nodes-metastases. A typical TNM might be “T2aNlM0” (T-two-a-N-one-M-zero). Looks like mumbo jumbo, doesn’t it? Try thinking of it as medical shorthand, with each letter and numeral having a defined value that gives doctors and pathologists a specific, consistent way to describe how deeply a cancer has invaded the body’s tissue and organs.

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The TNM system uses the letters T, N, and M followed by numerals to describe the stage of invasiveness of your cancer.

The letter T followed by a numeral from one to four (1 to 4) describes the depth of invasiveness of your tumor. The lower the number, the less invasive the cancer.

The T scale has additional, more detailed levels as well. These levels add the lowercase letters a and b to the T score to delineate more precisely how far into the bladder your cancer has spread and whether it has moved into other areas of your body. It fine-tunes the pathology information to help your doctor make treatment recommendations.

Our use of the term or terms Actos Bladder Cancer is for descriptive purposes only. There is no relationship between the owners of this website and the maker of the product discussed in this post. Our use of the words Recall, Class Action Lawsuit and other similar words related to an event do not necessarily mean that this event has occurred. Refer to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration for information on drug or medical device recalls. If a Class Action Lawsuit is formed in relation to the product discussed in this post we will provide that information at the time the Class Action is formed. A Class Action Lawsuit is not required to exist for you to file a lawsuit if you have been injured by the product discussed in this post.

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Actos Bladder Cancer 12/20/2011: The elderly, frail individuals with multiple coexisting chronic illnesses, individuals that are weakened through mahiutrition or who have compromised immunity all would face substantially increased risk of complications from standard chemotherapy regimens for bladder cancer. Unfortunately, cisplatin is toxic to kidneys, and many individuals with bladder cancer have compromised kidney function which effectively rules out the use of platinum based chemotherapy. Other treatment regimens exist and are being worked on for these individuals, but none show the efficacy of the standard therapy which includes cisplatin.

Most individuals treated with standard chemotherapy regimens with metastatic bladder cancer will have recurrence and progression of their disease. Multiple treatment regimens have been utilized with overall response rates of 10-40%.^[1] To date, regimens have generally used taxanes, both docetaxel and paclitaxel. Ifosfamide has been shown to have significant single agent activity as well, but is extremely toxic. Combination therapy with taxanes and ifosfamide are presently being tested.

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Actos Lawyers12/20/2011: There are multiple factors which must be considered. Generally younger patients, those in better overall health, and those with excellent preoperative erections can expect a more rapid return of erectile activity if the nerve sparing approach is successful. Even with meticulous nerve sparing, some nerve injury, either temporary or permanent may occur. The extent of the injury will determine how quickly erections may return. Erections may start returning in as little as two to three months, or may gradually return over a period of a year, or may not return at all.

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