Do I Need To Seek Treatment Right Away After Being Diagnosed With Invasive Bladder Cancer?

Once you have been diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer, it is very important to seek treatment right away. The goal of bladder cancer treatment is to stop the cancer before it spreads outside of the bladder. Surgery can cure only when all of the cancer is removed. If the tumor has spread outside of the bladder, even in microscopically small amounts, then surgery will usually not be enough. A delay in treatment after your initial diagnosis may increase the risk that the tumor will spread outside of the bladder.

After diagnosis, several tests still must be performed before surgery. These tests are designed to help ensure that the cancer is confined to the bladder and that you are in optimal medical condition to get through the surgery. These tests must all be scheduled and per-formed and the results reviewed. This usually takes at least 2 or 3 weeks. Although the less time that elapses before surgery the better, it is generally agreed that the process should take less than 6 weeks to avoid significantly increasing the risk of spread. Thus, if you delay starting the process you will only add to the duration of time that passes before treatment. There is no need to panic, and remember that the process will usually take several weeks. However time is indeed of the essence.