What stage of bladder cancer is this? Please help.?

Question

Hello, my great grandfather was diagnosed with bladder cancer about a year ago, and due to his old age, he decided not to go about getting any treatment beyond surgery to try to remove the mass (which wasn't successful). Now he is having bloody/mucusy discharge when he urinates. He is in constant pain, which is exacerbated by trying to urinate, despite high doses of Percocet. What stage of bladder cancer does this sound like? I know that it is at least stage III, as that's what he was originally diagnosed with. Thank you so much for any help in this matter!

THank you very much for your reply! :) He's in his late eighties I believe, and he's not interested in persuing any other treatment options at this point. (I think he figures that it would only prolong his life for a very short amount of time, if any, and it's not worth the side effects.) I can't blame him at all. He was the one who asked me to look this up for him, I think he was trying to see how much time he has left basically. It's so terrible because his mental capacity hasn't declined at all (like most people with old age), so he's fully aware of everything going on.

Answer 1

I can't answer your question, but I wanted you to know that you have my heartfelt sympathy. My grandmother was finally diagnosed with breast cancer in Feb of last year and she, like your g/grandfather chose not to treat it.

It may be time to consider discussing a catheter with him. It should alleviate some of the pain. You might also contact Hospice (what we did with my grandmother when she deteriorated) - they are wonderful people and can help ease his pain as well as the family's.

It may also be time to discuss a more potent pain reliever. My grandmother was on full out morphine toward the end and while she slept a lot, the time she was awake the pain was more bearable than without it.

I wish you the best in this terrible time. My uneducated guess would be that if he's not there yet, he is probably close to end stage. I'm sorry for the pain you're going through. The only other help I can offer is that when I got the word that my grandmother had passed, there was some sense of relief. I knew she was no longer in pain and now it was only me who was hurting from the loss. That was actually easier to handle than watching her slowly deteriorate and be in pain herself.

Answer 2

are you sure about the stage?as the treatment of stage 3 bladder cancer is "radical cystectomy" (removing all the bladder out of the body) OR radiotherapy!
and do you know what kind of bladder cancer it was?
supposing it has been a TCC ( transitional cell carcinoma, the most common one) we cannot say what stage it is by just having the symptoms of the patients.
about the pain, where is it located? flunks or very lowest parts of the belly or it is a dull pain most of the time? it is important because maybe and maybe the blood and mucus and the pain would be due to some thing else and not the cancer itself ( for examp. prostodynia ( pain due to the prostate), torsion, and many other things.)
the best thing you can do now is seeing the doctor. your grandfather needs to be examined and do have some paraclinical tests.( such as spiral CT-scan or IVP)
i wish he get better.

Answer 3

It could have progressed to stage IV but that depends upon how much time has passed.
Seriously, look for alternative options like chemo or radiation.
Stages III-IV are not riddled with huge success rates/live expectancy.

Great grandfather sounds very old. Perhaps it is time you took action or didn't, because he might not want to die in a hospital.

Answer 4

Blood tests are taken to attempt for tumors contained in the bladder and kidneys. The urine try will be adnormal and the most cancers can take position contained in the urine. The maximum cancers does not consistently practice on exrays. extremely sounds might want for use to ascertain the most cancers contained in the bladder.