| There are many different treatments
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| | require an opening for urine discharge
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| available for people diagnosed with
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| | (urostomy). Recent advances in surgical
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| bladder cancer. Treatment depends mainly
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| | procedures are decreasing the number of
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| on the stage of cancer. A cancer caught
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| | people with urostomies.
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| early enough will require less dramatic
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| | Chemotherapy can also be used to treat
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| measures than more advanced cancers. The
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| | bladder cancer, often in combination with
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| most common treatment options are
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| | surgery. Chemotherapy is a whole body
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| surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy
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| | treatment, meaning it affects the entire
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| and immunotherapy. In certain cases,
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| | body not just the bladder. This is why
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| your doctor may combine two or more
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| | many chemotherapy patients experience
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| treatment options, most commonly
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| | side effects such as nausea, bruising,
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| combining surgery with chemotherapy or
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| | headache and fatigue. Chemotherapy uses
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| radiation therapy.
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| | drugs (for example valrubicin, thiotepa
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| Surgery may be performed with both early
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| | and doxorubicin) to kill cancer cells.
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| and advanced bladder cancers. When
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| | These drugs can be given either in the
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| bladder cancer is caught early on, the
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| | form of a pill to be swallowed or
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| tumor may be removed through the urinary
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| | injected into a vein. If your bladder
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| opening, or urethra. This involves
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| | cancer is caught early enough, you may
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| inserting small surgical instruments and
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| | have the choice of receiving chemotherapy
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| a laparoscope through the urethra. The
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| | directly into your bladder through the
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| laparoscope is like a small telescope and
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| | urethra.
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| is used to find the tumor and
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| | Radiation therapy can also be used to
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| successfully remove it. This type of
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| | treat bladder cancer. This may be used
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| surgery is called a transurethral
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| | after surgery to kill any cancer cells
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| resection and rarely results in the
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| | that may have been missed by the surgeon.
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| patient requiring an external urine
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| | There are two ways radiation therapy may
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| collecting method.
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| | be performed, you may either receive a
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| Once bladder cancer has spread, the
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| | dose of radiation from a machine, or your
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| surgical treatment usually involves
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| | tumor is planted with radioactive 'seeds'
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| complete or partial bladder removal. A
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| | that slowly release their radiation. The
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| partial bladder removal (cystectomy) is
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| | side effects of radiation therapy can be
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| often reserved for patients with less
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| | an inflamed rectum, inability to control
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| invasive types of bladder cancer (usually
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| | your bladder muscles, rash, or impotence
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| cancers that start in cells associated
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| | (in men).
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| with frequent infections or irritations)
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| | Immunotherapy, also called biological
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| that occur near the top of the bladder.
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| | therapy, is a treatment designed to boost
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| A complete, or radical, cystectomy may
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| | a person's immune system so the body can
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| also involve removal of nearby tissues.
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| | rid itself of the cancer. This is
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| For men, a radical cystectomy often
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| | accomplished by injecting a vaccine
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| includes removal of the prostate, the
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| | derived from the tuberculosis bacteria
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| lymph nodes near the hip and the semen
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| | into the urethra. This vaccine puts the
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| conducting tubes. For a woman, a radical
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| | immune system on high alert and causes it
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| cystectomy also includes removing the
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| | to kill the cancer cells. Common side
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| reproductive organs (uterus, ovaries and
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| | effects to this treatment option are an
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| fallopian tubes), part of the vagina and
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| | inflamed bladder or prostate and flu-like
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| the urethra. If you do undergo surgery
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| | symptoms.
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| to remove your bladder cancer, you may
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