Bladder Cancer Stories


Bladder cancer starts when cells that make up the urinary bladder start to grow out of control. As more cancer cells develop, they can form a tumor and, with time, spread to other parts of the body.
Bladder cancers are often described based on how far they have spread into the wall of the bladder:
- Non-invasive: tumors in a small section of tissue or cancer that’s only on or near the surface of your bladder.
- Non-muscle-invasive: moved deeper into your bladder but hasn’t spread to muscle.
- Muscle-invasive: has grown into bladder wall muscle and may have spread into the fatty layers or tissues on organs outside of your bladder.
Bladder Cancer Stories
Vickie D.
Symptoms: Intermittent pain in the gut and burning sesnsation
Treatment: Chemotherapy (dd-MVAC) and cystectomy (bladder removal surgery)
Margo W.
1st Symptoms: Blood in urine
Treatment: Chemotherapy (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) and radical cystectomy
LaSonya D.
Symptom: Blood in urine
Treatment: BCG immunotherapy, cystectomy (bladder removal surgery)
Bladder Cancer 101: Understanding Types, Stages, and Spread Welcome to our comprehensive overview of bladder cancer, where we will delve into important aspects such as symptoms, causes, stages, and treatment options. The bladder, a hollow organ located in the pelvis, plays a crucial role in storing urine as part of the urinary tract. When the
Ebony G.
1st Symptoms: Blood in urine, weight gain
Treatment: MVAC chemotherapy, bladder removal surgery, neobladder
Diagnosis and Treatment for Bladder Cancer
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment process from bladder cancer survivors and medical experts. Discover diagnosis and treatment options./p>
Bladder Cancer Series
Bladder cancer patients Ebony & LaSonya talk about their cancer journey, including their first symptoms, how they processed their diagnosis, treatment options, and how they found support. Dr. Samuel Washington, a urologic surgeon, also gives an overview of bladder cancer and its treatments.
Bladder Cancer Resources
Bladder Cancer Series
Bladder cancer patients Ebony & LaSonya talk about their cancer journey, including their first symptoms, how they processed their diagnosis, treatment options, and how they found support. Dr. Samuel Washington, a urologic surgeon, also gives an overview of bladder cancer and its treatments.
...
Diagnosis and Treatment for Bladder Cancer
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment process from bladder cancer survivors and medical experts. Discover diagnosis and treatment options./p>
...
Bladder Cancer Medical Experts
Dr. Samuel Washington, MD, MAS
Role: Assistant Professor of Urology, UCSF
Focus: Treatment disparities in bladder cancer treatment
Provider: University of California San Francisco
Testicular Cancer: What Patients Need to Know
Medical oncologist Alok Tewari, MD, PhD, who specializes in cancers arising from the genitourinary tract, discusses what patients need to know about testicular cancer.
Dr. Christopher Weight, M.D.
Role: Center Director Urologic Oncology
Focus: Urological oncology, including kidney, prostate, bladder cancers
Provider: Cleveland Clinic
More Information About Bladder Cancer
For more information about Bladder Cancer and additional patients stories visit the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network’s (BCAN) website.
Navigating Life with Cancer
Learn more about navigating life with cancer from some of our most recent posts.
Cancer Organizations
Choose from over 40 cancer organizations and nonprofits for any cancer type and location Find where to get help for financial, housing, transportation and more.
Kelly’s Stage 3C Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Story
Kelly T., Stage 3C, Triple Negative
Symptoms: Swollen lymph nodes on the neck, high white blood count
Treatment: Chemotherapy (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel, carboplatin, capecitabine), surgery (nipple-sparing, skin-sparing double mastectomy), radiation, hormone therapy (tamoxifen)
Susan’s Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Story
Susan K.
Symptoms: Swollen lymph nodes on the neck, high white blood count
Treatment: Venetoclax & obinutuzumab
Dealing with Scanxiety
How to Deal with Scanxiety as a Cancer Patient
Cancer patient panelists Nick Mundy, Lainie Jones, and Matt Ode share their real-life experiences and offer practical tips and strategies for managing scanxiety and maintaining emotional well-being throughout the cancer journey.
BRAF Mutations and Cancer
BRAF Mutations and Cancer
The BRAF mutation is often linked to several forms of cancer including melanoma and lung cancer. Learn about the effects of the BRAF mutation.
What it’s really like to get a Colonoscopy – Patient & Doctor Perspectives
Patients and doctors share their real-life colonoscopy experiences
Shared Treatment Decision Making | Dr. Babis Andreadis
Dr. Babis Andreadis of UCSF shares his approach with patients, the importance of patient self-advocacy, whether to ask for a second opinion, and more on shared treatment decision-making.
Fertility and Pregnancy After Cancer Treatment
Hear how cancer patients took steps to increase their chances of fertility and pregnancy after undergoing chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.