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Diagnosed Bladder Cancer, Undergoing Chemo, Advised Bladder Removal. CAT Scan Done. Second Opinion Required?
My husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer in June and since has had the tumors removed and they say that the cancer is invasive in the wall, he is doing chemo now and is scheduled to finish in Oct. they want to remove his bladder in November, I have asked for a PET scan and was told because it is so expensive, they just do the CAT scan, My concerns are, If the cancer is in other parts of the body, I don't believe the bladder should be remover, I think that we should get a second opinion, but my primary doctor keeps putting me off and not calling back. I would like to have your opionion of the PET scan
Tue, 17 Sep 2013
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about what your husband is going through. I know it is a very difficult thing to watch your loved one go through all this. However, please do stand by him and be supportive.
Your worry over doing a PET scan to make sure there are no distant metastases before removing the bladder is genuine. What I would like you to clarify with your doctor is the indication of this surgery. It could be simply that they want to preserve other vital organs like the kidneys if this cancer is causing urinary retention and compromising renal function. In this case there would be no clear reason for a PET scan as this will not change the reason why for this surgery.
I am afraid there is a communication breakdown between you and your physician. please, talk with him and get his reasons why he is pushing for surgery and why he is refusing the PET scan even if it poses no danger to the health of the client. Beside you are the person paying and he cannot tell you off a procedure for cost concerns and more so if you can afford so.
I hope this really helps you and sheds some light on how to proceed. Please, talk with your doctor to get his reasons and lay your case. I wish him the best of possible outcomes with this battle against cancer of the bladder.
Dr. Ditah, MD
I am so sorry to hear about what your husband is going through. I know it is a very difficult thing to watch your loved one go through all this. However, please do stand by him and be supportive.
Your worry over doing a PET scan to make sure there are no distant metastases before removing the bladder is genuine. What I would like you to clarify with your doctor is the indication of this surgery. It could be simply that they want to preserve other vital organs like the kidneys if this cancer is causing urinary retention and compromising renal function. In this case there would be no clear reason for a PET scan as this will not change the reason why for this surgery.
I am afraid there is a communication breakdown between you and your physician. please, talk with him and get his reasons why he is pushing for surgery and why he is refusing the PET scan even if it poses no danger to the health of the client. Beside you are the person paying and he cannot tell you off a procedure for cost concerns and more so if you can afford so.
I hope this really helps you and sheds some light on how to proceed. Please, talk with your doctor to get his reasons and lay your case. I wish him the best of possible outcomes with this battle against cancer of the bladder.
Dr. Ditah, MD
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