Treatment FAQ

what is treatment for high-grade bladder cancer

by Dr. Jessica Brekke Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

If the cancer is high grade, if many tumors are present, or if the tumor is very large when it's first found, radical cystectomy may be recommended. For people who aren't healthy enough for a cystectomy, radiation therapy (often along with chemo) might be an option, but the chances for cure are not as good.Sep 20, 2021

Medication

Why choose Memorial Sloan Kettering for bladder cancer treatment?

  • Our multidisciplinary team is among the most experienced in the field. ...
  • Our surgeons are highly skilled at using advanced techniques that can limit side effects and speed recovery. ...
  • Our medical oncologists specialize in chemotherapy for bladder cancer. ...
  • Our radiation oncologists use advanced techniques to target areas at risk. ...

More items...

Procedures

© 2021 MJH Life Sciences ™ and CURE - Oncology & Cancer News for Patients & Caregivers. All rights reserved. In this special episode of Bladder Cancer Matters, patient Margo W. describes her unusual journey with bladder cancer.

Therapy

You'll need to stay in the hospital for about a week after the surgery. You can usually go back to your normal activities after several weeks. In some cases, the surgeon may operate through many smaller incisions using special long, thin instruments, one of which has a tiny video camera on the end to see inside your body.

Nutrition

These new tests include:

  • Tests that can detect bladder tumor-associated antigen (BTA)
  • A test that can detect the genetic changes that are common in bladder cancer cells
  • A test that can detect substances often found on cancer cells, called mucin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)

More items...

What are the best treatment centers for bladder cancer?

What are treatments for aggressive bladder cancer?

What is the recovery time for bladder cancer surgery?

How can urine tests detect bladder cancer?

image

Can high grade bladder cancer be cured?

Bladder cancer is highly treatable when it is diagnosed in the early stages. The main types of treatments for bladder cancer include: Surgery : Bladder cancer treatment almost always has a surgical component that may be combined with other non-invasive approaches, including those listed below.

What is the prognosis for high grade bladder cancer?

If the cancer extends through the bladder to the surrounding tissue or has spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs, the 5-year survival rate is 38%. If the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 6%. About 4% of people are diagnosed with this stage.

How serious is high grade bladder cancer?

High grade means your cancer is more likely to grow spread and come back after treatment. For example, if you have early (superficial) bladder cancer but the cells are high grade, you're more likely to need further treatment after surgery. This is to reduce the risk of your cancer coming back.

What stage is high grade bladder cancer?

Most commonly, people with high-grade noninvasive (stage Ta), carcinoma in situ (stage Tis), or non-muscle-invasive (stage T1) bladder cancer are treated with TURBT, followed by local intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (or BCG, see “Immunotherapy” in Types of Treatment).

Is high grade bladder cancer a terminal?

High-grade bladder cancers have a greater risk of spreading and a poorer prognosis. Tumours that are only on the surface of the inner bladder lining (superficial tumours) are usually well differentiated. This means the cancer cells look much like normal bladder cells. These tumours have a good prognosis.

Does high grade bladder cancer always come back?

Conclusions. Nearly three-fourths of patients diagnosed with high-risk bladder cancer will recur, progress, or die within ten years of their diagnosis. Even though most patients do not die of bladder cancer, the vast majority endures the morbidity of recurrence and progression of their cancer.

Is high-grade cancer treatable?

High-grade cancers usually have a worse prognosis than low-grade cancers and may need treatment right away or treatment that is more aggressive (intensive).

What causes high-grade bladder cancer?

While the exact cause of bladder cancer is not known, certain risk factors are linked to the disease, including tobacco smoking and exposure to certain chemicals and gases. Also, people with a family history of bladder cancer have a high risk of developing the disease.

What are the signs that bladder cancer has spread?

The signs and symptoms of bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body include:tiredness or weakness.pain when urinating.difficulty urinating or inability to urinate.pain in the lower back on one side of the body.weight loss.swollen feet.bone pain.

At what stage of bladder cancer is the bladder removed?

Treating stage II bladder cancer When the cancer has invaded the muscle, radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder) is the standard treatment. Lymph nodes near the bladder are often removed as well.

Does bladder cancer respond well to chemotherapy?

For muscle-invasive bladder cancer, our doctors may recommend chemotherapy before surgery. This treatment approach is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Large clinical studies have shown that this method improves cure rates and long-term survival for people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

How long can u live with stage 4 bladder cancer?

The 5-year survival rate is the rate of surviving for 5 years after a cancer diagnosis. For bladder cancer, if the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 36.3 percent . If it has spread to a more distant site, the 5-year survival rate is 4.6 percent .

Treating Stage 0 Bladder Cancer

Stage 0 bladder cancer includes non-invasive papillary carcinoma (Ta) and flat non-invasive carcinoma (Tis). In either case, the cancer has not inv...

Treating Stage I Bladder Cancer

Stage I bladder cancers have grown into the connective tissue layer of the bladder wall but have not reached the muscle layer.Transurethral resecti...

Treating Stage II Bladder Cancer

These cancers have invaded the muscle layer of the bladder wall. Transurethral resection (TURBT) is typically the first treatment for these cancers...

Treating Stage III Bladder Cancer

These cancers have reached the outside of the bladder and might have grown into nearby tissues or organs.Transurethral resection (TURBT) is typical...

Treating Stage IV Bladder Cancer

These cancers have reached the abdominal or pelvic wall (T4b tumors) or have spread to nearby lymph nodes or distant parts of the body. Stage IV ca...

Treating Bladder Cancer That Progresses Or Recurs

If cancer continues to grow during treatment (progresses) or comes back (recurs), your treatment options will depend on where and how much the canc...

What is the best treatment for bladder cancer?

In general, the main treatment options for bladder cancer are: Surgery. Chemotherapy. Immunotherapy (local and systemic) Targeted therapy. Radiation therapy. To learn more about the basics of each type of treatment, read this guide’s Types of Treatment section.

What is the first line of treatment for urothelial cancer?

The first treatment a person is given for advanced urothelial cancer is called first-line therapy . If that treatment stops working, then a person receives second-line therapy.

What is stage IV bladder cancer?

Metastatic urothelial cancer (stage IV) If bladder cancer has spread to another part of the body, doctors call it metastatic bladder cancer. If this happens, it is a good idea to talk with doctors, usually medical oncologists, who have experience in treating it.

What is neoadjuvant therapy?

Neoadjuvant therapy is treatment that is given before surgery, such as cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The treatments your doctor recommends mainly depend on the stage of bladder cancer. Treatment for cancer in the renal pelvis and/or ureter follow the same treatment plans based on the stage of the disease.

Can pembrolizumab be used for bladder cancer?

Pembrolizumab is approved by the FDA to treat bladder cancer that has not been stopped by, or responded to, BCG treatment (also called “BCG-unresponsive”) and radical cystectomy to remove the bladder cannot be done because of other medical reasons or the patient chooses not to have that surgery.

Can bladder cancer be removed?

Surgery is often among the first treatments, and the standard treatment is a radical cystectomy (see “Surgery” in Types of Treatment ). Lymph nodes near the bladder are usually removed as well. A TURBT may still be done, but it usually is used to help the doctor figure out the extent of the cancer rather than as a treatment.

Is bladder cancer recurrent?

This will then be followed with long-term surveillance. People with high-grade, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer are at higher risk for the tumor returning, called a recurrent tumor. Sometimes a tumor comes back at a more advanced stage, with a risk of developing into metastatic bladder cancer.

How does radiation therapy help bladder cancer?

Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses beams of powerful energy, such as X-rays and protons, to destroy the cancer cells. Radiation therapy for bladder cancer usually is delivered from a machine that moves around your body, directing the energy beams to precise points.

How to diagnose bladder cancer?

Tests and procedures used to diagnose bladder cancer may include: Using a scope to examine the inside of your bladder (cystoscopy). To perform cystoscopy, your doctor inserts a small , narrow tube (cystoscope) through your urethra. The cystoscope has a lens that allows your doctor to see the inside of your urethra and bladder, ...

How to get a follow up on bladder cancer?

Get a schedule of follow-up tests and go to each appointment. When you finish bladder cancer treatment, ask your doctor to create a personalized schedule of follow- up tests. Before each follow-up cystoscopy exam, expect to have some anxiety. You may fear that cancer has come back or worry about the uncomfortable exam.

What is a low grade bladder cancer?

Low-grade bladder cancer. This type of cancer has cells that are closer in appearance and organization to normal cells (well differentiated). A low-grade tumor usually grows more slowly and is less likely to invade the muscular wall of the bladder than is a high-grade tumor. High-grade bladder cancer.

What tests can be done to determine if you have bladder cancer?

Tests may include: CT scan.

How is bladder cancer classified?

Bladder cancers are further classified based on how the cancer cells appear when viewed through a microscope. This is known as the grade, and your doctor may describe bladder cancer as either low grade or high grade:

What is a CT urogram?

During a CT urogram, a contrast dye injected into a vein in your hand eventually flows into your kidneys, ureters and bladder.

Is bladder cancer a high risk cancer?

Patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer are at a high risk of tumour recurrence and progression, requiring more aggressiv e treatment such as bladder removal. Bladder preservation therapies are available (and new therapies are being tested in clinical trials); however, patients should be aware tha ….

Is radical cystectomy the best treatment for bladder cancer?

Treatment with bacillus Calmette-Guerin ( BCG) allows bladder preservation but may risk disease progression.

What is the difference between high grade and low grade bladder cancer?

Low grade bladder cancer means that your cancer is less likely to grow, spread and come back after treatment. High grade means your cancer is more likely to grow spread and come back after treatment.

What does the grade of cancer mean?

The grade of a cancer means how much the cancer cells look like normal cells. It tells your doctor how the cancer might behave and what treatment you need. To find the grade of cancer cells, doctors take tissue samples (biopsies) and send them to the laboratory.

What is grade 3 cancer?

Grade 3. The cancer cells look very abnormal. They are called high grade or poorly differentiated. They grow more quickly and are more likely to come back after treatment or spread into the deeper (muscle) layer of the bladder.

What is cancer cell?

The cancers cells look very like normal cells. They are called low grade or well differentiated. They tend to grow slowly and generally stay in the lining of the bladder.

Is bladder cancer a non-cancerous tumor?

This divides bladder cancers into 4 groups: urothelial papilloma means it is a non cancerous (benign) tumour. papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) means it is a very slow growing tumour that is unlikely to spread. low grade papillary urothelial carcinoma is a slow growing cancer that is unlikely to spread.

What are the different grades of bladder cancer?

What are the different “grades” for a bladder cancer tumor? Grade is expressed as a number between 1 (low) and 3 (high, i.e. G3); the higher the number the less the tumor resembles a normal cell. In lieu of numbers to grade a bladder cancer tumor, your doctor may refer to the tumor simply as low or high grade.

How many types of bladder cancer are there?

Three types of bladder cancer may form, and each type of tumor can be present in one or more areas of the bladder, and more than one type can be present at the same time: Papillary tumors stick out from the bladder lining on a stalk. They tend to grow into the bladder cavity, away from the bladder wall, instead of deeper into the layers ...

Where do bladder cancers occur?

While the majority of bladder cancers (approximately 90-95%) arise in the bladder, the urothelial cells that line the bladder are found in other locations in the urinary system. Sometimes these urothelial cancers can occur in the lining of the kidney or in the ureter that connects the kidney to the bladder.

What doctor examines cancer tissue?

Urologists typically send a sample of the cancer tissue to a pathologist, a doctor who specializes in examining tissue to determine the stage and grade of the cancer. The pathologist writes a report with a diagnosis, and then sends it to your urologist.

Where is urothelial cancer located?

This is known as upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) correspond to a subset of urothelial cancers that arise in the urothelial cells in the lining of the kidney (called the renal pelvis) or the ureter ( the long, thin tube that connects that kidney to the bladder). Learn more about UTUC here.

What is low grade bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is called low grade or high grade. Low-grade bladder cancer means the cancer has not invaded the muscles around the bladder (non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer). People rarely die from this type of bladder cancer, it often recurs after treatment.

How long does bladder cancer last?

The stage of cancer generally refers to how far it has progressed, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. For bladder cancer, the 5-year survival rate for people with: 2,3. If you would like to learn more about bladder cancer statistics, consider speaking with someone on your health care team.

What percentage of bladder cancer is metastasized?

Bladder cancer that has spread to the regional lymph nodes is 35 percent. Distant or metastasized bladder cancer is 5 percent (sometimes called "Stage 4") If you would like to learn more about bladder cancer statistics, consider speaking with someone on your health care team.

Can bladder cancer be cured?

Bladder cancer can often be cured, or brought into remission, especially if treated early. However, bladder cancer tend s to reappear . Overall, the chances of your cancer being cured depend on your type of cancer and how far it has spread. 1.

What is high risk bladder cancer?

High-risk, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer is defined as any transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder that is high-grade, whether it is primary or recurrent. This high-risk group includes patients with high-grade papillary stage Ta or T1 tumors and any patient with carcinoma in situ ...

What is the survival rate of a radical cystectomy?

Possible indications for cystectomy include multifocal disease, deep involvement of the lamina propria, and associated CIS. The 5-year disease-free survival rate with radical cystectomy is approximately 85% for patients with pathologic node-negative T1 tumors, and 95% for pathologic stage pT0, pTa or pTis tumors, ...

Is hydronephrosis a tumor?

Hydronephrosis on the same side as the tumor is highly significant, in that it implies a muscle-invasive cancer. Upper-tract evaluation should be continued annually for the life of the patient, as there is a ≤20–25% incidence of upper-tract tumors 10 years after diagnosis of high-risk disease. [ 3]

Can a T1G3 tumor be a cystectomy?

Muscle bundles in the lamina propria, the muscularis mucosae, can be misinterpreted as muscle invasion. If persistent T1G3 tumor is found, serious consideration should be given to radical cystectomy. The presence of lymphatic or vascular invasion, if confirmed by a referee genitourinary pathologist, should also prompt consideration ...

image

Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Coping and Support

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Pawan Katti
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and biological therapy.
Medication

Immunotherapy: This therapy helps boost your immune system fight against the cancerous cells.

Atezolizumab . Durvalumab . Avelumab


Chemotherapy: Injection of cancer-fighting medications into the bladder through a catheter to kill the harmful cells.

Gemcitabine/Cisplatin . Methotrexate/ Vinblastine/Doxorubicin/Cisplatin (called MVAC) . Cisplatin/ Methotrexate/Vinblastine (called CMV) . Carboplatin/Paclitaxel . Docetaxel

Procedures

Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT): An instrument called a resectoscope is inserted into the bladder through the urethra which is used to remove abnormal tissues or tumors.

Cystectomy: Removal of a part of bladder is called as partial cystectomy or complete bladder removal which is called as radical cystectomy.

Therapy

Radiation therapy:High-energy radiation is used to kill the cancer cells.

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Focus on starchy carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice or potatoes
  • Whole grains are highly recommended
  • Eat a variety of fruit and vegetables daily
  • Include lean protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or pulses
  • Have milk and cheese

Foods to avoid:

  • Eggs, total fat, butter
  • Soft drinks, caffeine, chlorinated surface water, sugar

Specialist to consult

Urologist
Specializes in the urinary tract disease.
Oncologist
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Preparing For Your Appointment

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9