SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) Receiving a bladder cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, and it’s natural to have questions and concerns.
As you navigate the process, you will likely undergo procedures and tests that give your healthcare provider more information about your bladder cancer, as well as help inform discussions about treatment recommendations and the next steps in your care. Understanding the purpose of these evaluations can help you feel more knowledgeable throughout your care journey and prepare you to have more productive conversations with your healthcare team.
Learning More About Your Cancer
One of the most commonly performed procedures is White Light Cystoscopy, where a urologist inserts a tube with a camera on the end into the bladder to assess the bladder lining. If there are suspicious lesions or other reasons to suspect bladder cancer, the likely next step is a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), which is when the urologic surgeon removes visible tumors and collects tissue for further analysis.
The information gathered during TURBT helps healthcare providers better understand the characteristics of your bladder cancer. This information becomes one of several factors that they will consider when determining treatment recommendations and planning the next steps in your care.
Tools Your Urologist May Use
Depending on your individual situation, your urologist may use different tools and technologies during bladder cancer evaluation and initial tumor removal. One potential option is Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC), which uses both white and blue light to evaluate the bladder, typically during a TURBT.
At least one hour before a BLC procedure, an FDA-approved optical imaging agent is inserted into the bladder through a catheter. During the TURBT, the agent will make unhealthy bladder tissue glow bright pink under blue light to help healthcare providers more clearly evaluate areas of the bladder during the procedure. BLC may help urologic surgeons identify additional areas that warrant closer examination, however, it is important to note that the procedure may not detect all malignant tumors.
Your care team will choose an evaluation approach for you based on their clinical judgment and your individual needs.
How Evaluation Helps Guide Next Steps
Every bladder cancer diagnosis is unique. Healthcare providers consider the information gathered during evaluation, along with other clinical factors, to help inform discussions about the next steps in your care. Ultimately, your treatment plan will be individualized based on the results of your evaluation, clinical factors, and ongoing conversations between you and your healthcare provider.
Talking With Your Urologist
Throughout your bladder cancer journey, open communication with your care team is essential. Questions you may consider asking at your next appointment include:
• What information are you looking for during my evaluation?
• How will the information gathered during my procedure help guide the next steps in my care?
• What evaluation approaches may be appropriate for my situation?
• Is Blue Light Cystoscopy an option for me?
To learn more about bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment, and to find facilities that offer BLC near you, visit https://rebrand.ly/BLC-facilities.
After a bladder cancer diagnosis, it’s important to stay informed about the direction of your care. Proactive communication with your healthcare provider can help you better understand your care plan and the next steps in your treatment journey.
Sponsored by Photocure, Inc.
Photo Credit: (c) nortonrsx / iStock via Getty Images Plus
