Patient: Description of the condition (onset time, main symptoms, hospital visited, etc.): The patient did not have any discomfort but was suddenly found to have an occupied bladder of 0.7 cm on July 19 during physical examination. The bladder irrigation was started from the eighth day, once a week, and eight times were completed. The latter three chemotherapeutic drugs were infused alternately, and at the same time, the infusion of bitter ginseng alkaloids and polysaccharide was given, half a month for bitter ginseng alkaloids and one month for polysaccharide. The next treatment plan is to end the treatment after a total of 4 perfusions once a month, with a follow-up checkup once every three months and a two-year follow-up. I would like to get this kind of help: 1. Is the irrigation treatment too short and I need to add more times? 2. Is it necessary to start the Chinese medicine treatment at this stage, is it okay to go to the hospital and prescribe Chinese medicine for the treatment? 3. Is there any other treatment needed, is there any more advanced method to prevent recurrence?
Specialist: Complete bladder irrigation on a regular basis, review cystoscopy every 3 months, follow up for 2 years For reference only, it is recommended to visit a local regular hospital.
Patient: I was treated in a regular hospital, but I checked the treatment cases on the internet that the bladder perfusion is more than one year, our doctor here is less than half a year, in addition, do you see the need for long-term treatment with Chinese medicine to prevent recurrence? According to you, “complete bladder perfusion on schedule, review cystoscopy every 3 months, and follow up for 2 years” will be enough? I am always worried that it will come back if I don’t take measures.
Specialist: One of the characteristics of bladder cancer is that it is prone to recurrence, so postoperative follow-up is very important and part of the treatment. In general, postoperative bladder irrigation is done once a week (4 times) + once every 2 weeks (4 times) + once a month (up to 2 years), cystoscopy every 3 months (up to 2 years), and after that, cystoscopy can be done every 6 months. There is no clinical evidence of effective oral herbal medicine to prevent bladder cancer.
For reference only, it is recommended to visit the local regular hospital.
Patient: Regarding the toxic side effects of bladder perfusion I would like to ask if it will cause more damage to the bladder if it is continuously perfused for two years? Also, is the efficacy of thermochemical perfusion significant? I would like to get a response from the doctor, thank you!
Specialist: The main local side effects of bladder irrigation include urinary frequency and pain, hematuria, and systemic side effects include leukopenia, fatigue, and poor appetite. Generally speaking, local side effects are the main ones. We do not know much about thermochemical perfusion.
For reference only, it is recommended to go to the local regular hospital for consultation.