Posted on 09/13/2020 6:45:36 PM PDT by Rummyfan
You might can call BCG the "gold standard" for bladder cancer if the stage is 0. However, for stages above that, it certainly isn't. 25% of bladder cancers have already broken out of the bladder wall and become invasive by the time they're diagnosed and BCG wouldn't be able to cure that. And larger tumors can require more aggressive treatment as well.
For instance, although my husband's bladder cancer was still contained within the bladder (they hoped, hard to tell prior to surgery) complete removal of the bladder and prostate were recommended to save his life. That was 19 years ago this month. How aggressive the cancer is was also a consideration as they are not all alike.
We were told that it'd be back within 2 years if we didn't go the removal route. Thankfully we did and it was successful.
Glad your Dad didn't have to endure that. It's no picnic.
I know it well, since I've been dealing with it for 10 years.
And for you folks who may not have heard, the water was toxic at Camp LeJeune, from 1952 - 1987
According to the ASTDR (CDC offshoot, if not correct) one only has to spend 30 days on base (not consecutively).
One point of interest to some is when the government says they fixed it, seems a bit grandiose.
My TCC is from the water (fully adjudicated by the VA) and now they are reducing benefits, because they can.
Totally makes sense - Of course I was only considering BC inside the bladder, but didn’t clarify that.
Glad your husband is well and he had the correct treatment for his case.
Cancer Sucks, wish him the best.
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