What are the best treatment options for stage II bladder cancer?

These are significant treatment decisions, and it's completely understandable to want to hear from others who have walked this path. Each approach has different benefits and considerations - surgery offers definitive treatment but involves major life changes, while bladder-preserving options like trimodal therapy can maintain quality of life but may require ongoing monitoring. The community here has valuable insights about factors like recovery experiences, long-term outcomes, and questions worth discussing with your medical team to help guide your decision.

I have stage III bladder cancer, urologist said my best option is removal. Note he said best. Well my oncologist stated if best then there's other treatments. I chose other, went through 6 cycles of chemo, had pet scan done at 4th, tumor still in bladder and has shrunk. Waiting on new pet scan to determine if still in bladder, if so, bladder will not be removed. Start on immunotherapy. I have a very inquisitive cat who might tear stoma off, not taking any chances. Keep my bladder.

I have stage II bladder cancer and was also told by surgeon my best option was to have bladder removed. After much soul searching I decided to keep my bladder. I had TURBT surgery to remove tumor and have had four rounds of chemotherapy, six treatments of BCG weekly followed by three more treatments several months later. I am currently getting infusions of immunotherapy every four weeks. CT scans have been normal and follow up cystoscopies every three months have not shown any new growths. It’s been a year since I was scheduled for bladder removal surgery and I am so happy I decided not to go through with it. I am 78 years old and did not want to go through such a major surgery and did not want to deal with a ostomy bag. I feel great and no longer have the urgency problem that I had. I feel I made the right decision but everyone has to decide that for themselves based on their situation.

I had stage 3 bladder cancer, opted to preserve my bladder. Went through 6 rounds of chemo. Had pet scan 3 months ago, not growing, still confined to my bladder. Have another pet scan scheduled in few weeks. If no change from last one, going start immunotherapy.