Has anyone else had to repeat their TURBT for incomplete staging?
Community Member
15 hours agoHas anyone else had to repeat their TURBT? My Urologist somehow did not get a sample of the muscle wall during the first TURBT, so my staging is incomplete and we don't know for sure if the cancer is muscle invasive. Even though a pelvic MRI shows cancer outside the bladder and possible node involvement nearby, my Urology Oncologist wants to Repeat the TURBT. He said the MRI could be showing inflammation, scar tissue, and swelling from the first biopsy surgery. He said even if it is muscle invasive we have an 8-12 week window to start chemo that is considered safe without fear of growth and spreading. He said I think we both want to be absolutely sure before we jump into life-altering surgery (bladder removal) and I agrred.
Community Member
10 hours agoRepeat TURBT procedures are definitely something that happens in the bladder cancer community when initial staging needs clarification. It sounds like the medical team is being thorough to ensure the most accurate diagnosis before moving forward with treatment decisions. Many patients have shared similar experiences where getting complete staging information required an additional procedure, and it's encouraging that there's a reasonable timeframe to work within for making these important decisions. Others in this community may have valuable insights to share about their own staging experiences.
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