Question and Answer with Dr. John Phillips
1) Does cancer research only benefit badder cancer?
All cancer research benefits our understanding of many elements that underlie all cancers. While there are of course tissue- and patient-specific differences among cancers, most investigators understand that findings in breast cancer impact our understanding of prostate, findings in bladder impact our understanding of kidney, etc.
2) Is bladder cancer more prevalent now? Why?
Bladder cancer is decreasing in areas of low cigarette and tobacco usage; it is increasing in areas of tobacco prevalence.We are looking into other factors.
3) What's the first symptom of bladder cancer?
Often, the first symptom of cancer is blood in the urine. When the patient sees it, it is called 'gross' hematuria; when the doctor's urinalysis machine 'sees' it, it is called microscopic hematuria.
4) What labs would be indicative of bladder cancer? Like PSA for prostate?
There is no serum test for bladder cancer like PSA. There are urine tests, and many, and in increasing cost (but not always increasing detectability),cytology, BTA Stat, NMP-22, and Urovysion FISH
5) What's one of the best places to find answers?
www.nccn.org
In search on this website you can start with Cancer Staging Guild and learn from there.
1) Does cancer research only benefit badder cancer?
All cancer research benefits our understanding of many elements that underlie all cancers. While there are of course tissue- and patient-specific differences among cancers, most investigators understand that findings in breast cancer impact our understanding of prostate, findings in bladder impact our understanding of kidney, etc.
2) Is bladder cancer more prevalent now? Why?
Bladder cancer is decreasing in areas of low cigarette and tobacco usage; it is increasing in areas of tobacco prevalence.We are looking into other factors.
3) What's the first symptom of bladder cancer?
Often, the first symptom of cancer is blood in the urine. When the patient sees it, it is called 'gross' hematuria; when the doctor's urinalysis machine 'sees' it, it is called microscopic hematuria.
4) What labs would be indicative of bladder cancer? Like PSA for prostate?
There is no serum test for bladder cancer like PSA. There are urine tests, and many, and in increasing cost (but not always increasing detectability),cytology, BTA Stat, NMP-22, and Urovysion FISH
5) What's one of the best places to find answers?
www.nccn.org
In search on this website you can start with Cancer Staging Guild and learn from there.