Bladder Cancer Treatment: Bladder Preservation Therapy - Urology Care Foundation

If you are a patient with muscle invasive bladder cancer, it is important to know your treatment choices. As part of your treatment, you may need to have some of your bladder removed. If this is the case, you should know your options for bladder preservation therapy. #BladdersMatter #UrologyCareFoundation #BladderCancer

For more facts about bladder preservation and bladder health, visit UrologyHealth.org.

What is Bladder Preservation Therapy?
Unlike Bladder Removal Surgery, Bladder preservation means you will keep all or some of your bladder. If you are considering Bladder Preservation Therapy, it’s best to first meet with a radiation oncologist to discuss your options.

Trimodal Therapy
Some bladder preservation therapy may involve trimodal therapy which combines surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to give you the best possible outcome. .

Neoadjuvent Therapy
Neoadjuvent therapy is another option. Before your doctor removes all, or part of your bladder, he or she may try to shrink your tumor first with neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (also called NAC). This means certain drugs are first given as chemotherapy and then bladder removal is done afterwards. Chemotherapy will be given before your bladder surgery. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which is stronger than regular chemotherapy treatments.

About 6-8 weeks after neoadjuvent chemotherapy, you will have your bladder surgery. Your surgeon will cut away the tumor during a trans urethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) procedure.

After surgery, you can expect additional chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The goal of this blended approach is to shrink the tumor and also make the most of the chemotherapy that you are receiving at the same time.

Bladder Preservation Recovery & Side Effects:
You will have side effects after most Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer treatments. However, there are things you can do which may help you feel better. If you smoke, get help to stop. If your doctor approves, you may also start exercising and eat more fruits and vegetables. Healthy choices may help you get better faster.

Some side effects from treatments include:
• Pain
• Change in bowel function
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may be a side effects from your radiation.
• Urinary changes including urinary urgency and frequency, or sometimes blood in the urine
• Infections
• Hot flashes
• Sex and fertility issues

You should expect to see your doctor a lot if you have bladder preservation therapy. You will likely need many assessment and evaluation visits including surveillance through an endoscopy, a method which uses a scope to reach the urinary tract.

Your health care provider may also suggest a cancer support group or counseling to help. It is important you talk to your urologist about any questions or concerns you have about this treatment.

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  Bladder Cancer