Ask the Doctor Archives

November 2010 – Patient Q&As about Urinary Diversions

These Q&As are provided by three BCAN volunteers, Nancy Parrish, Karen Godfrey and Michael Jones, each of whom has had radical cystectomy surgery (to remove the bladder) and urinary reconstruction.

These survivors describe day to day life with each of the three main types of urinary reconstruction– the Ileal Conduit, the Continent Cutaneous Pouch (also known as the Indiana Pouch) and the Neobladder.

Winter 2010 – Robotic cystectomy
Dr. Mark Gonzalgo, M.D.
Associate Professor of Urology and Director of Robotic-Assisted Urologic Cancer Surgery at Stanford University

Dr. Gonzalgo shares his expertise on the advantages and disadvantages of robotic cystectomy compared to open cystectomy.

Fall 2009 – Systemic chemotherapy
Dr. Deborah Bradley, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center

Dr. Bradley discusses when systemic chemotherapy is appropriate, and whether it should be offered before or after radical cystectomy.

Spring / Summer 2009 – Bladder removal surgery and issues that may arise
Dr. Matthew Nielsen, M.D.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Nielsen discusses bladder removal surgery (radical cystectomy) and the potential short-term as well as long-term issues that may arise from this major operation.

Winter 2009 - Cancer survivorship issues
Dr. David Latini, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine

Dr. Latini discusses what bladder cancer survivors can do to improve quality of life for themselves and their families.

Fall 2008 – Common terminology in urine cytology and biopsy reports
Dr. Donna Hansel, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Taussig Cancer Center at Cleveland Clinic

Summer 2008 – Radical cystectomy and urinary diversions
Dr. Michael Cookson, M.D.
Professor of Urologic Surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee

Spring 2008 – Diagnostic markers for bladder cancer and age-specific therapies for individuals with non-invasive bladder cancer
Dr. Badrinath Konety, M.D.
Associate Professor, Departments of Urology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco

Winter 2008 – Whether sexual intercourse is safe while undergoing BCG treatments, and what follow-up is recommended for patients following bladder removal
Dr. Arthur Sagalowsky, M.D.
Professor and Chief of Urologic Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center

Fall 2007 – BCG alternatives and what options can help prevent urinary tract infections
Dr. Donald Lamm, M.D.
President of BCG Oncology

Summer 2007 – Risk of progression from low grade papillary tumors and the A1BG protein
Dr. Cheryl Lee, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Urology, University of Michigan

Spring 2007 – Antioxidents and nutrition
Dr. Ashish Kamat, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Urology & Cancer Biology at the University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center

Winter 2007 – FISH Test, BCG alternatives, and why bladder cancer has such a high recurrence rate
Dr. Michael O’Donnell, M.D.
Holden Cancer Center, University of Iowa Hospital

Fall 2006 – Use of the term “superficial bladder cancer,” the NMP22 screening test, and bladder cancer recurrence
Dr. Mark Soloway, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Urology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami

Summer 2006 – Metastatic bladder cancer and the differences between neo-adjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy
Dr. Walter Stadler, M.D.
Professor and Director of Genitourinary Oncology at the University of Chicago

Spring 2006 – Can bladder cancer patients be “cured,” BCG side effects, and bladder tissue engineering
Dr. Seth Lerner, M.D.
Associate Professor of Urology, Beth and David Swaim Chair in Urological Oncology and Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine

Winter 2006 – Bleeding after TURBT and BCG maintenance
Dr. Mark Schoenberg, M.D.
Professor of Urology and Oncology and Director of Urologic Oncology at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions