Chemotherapy Treatment for Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the general term used for several different cancers affecting the balloon-shaped organ used for urine storage. It typically begins in the cells lining the interior of the bladder, then spreads outward. The severity of this outward spread is measured in phases, or stages, of cancer growth. Chemotherapy drug treatment is used to combat bladder cancer from its earliest to its most advanced stages.

Treating Early Stage Bladder Cancer

• According to the National Cancer Institute, if you are diagnosed with early stage bladder cancer, you may receive a form of localized treatment called intravesical chemotherapy. To begin this procedure, your oncologist (cancer specialist) inserts a catheter through your urethra into your bladder. Once the catheter is in place, he uses it to administer a chemotherapy agent such as doxorubicin (Adriamycin), thiotepa (Thioplex) or mytomicin-C (Mutamycin). You will be asked to retain this medication in your bladder for one to two hours, after which you urinate to purge it from your body. Unlike systemic forms of chemotherapy, intravesical treatment does not typically cause serious side effects. Temporary afte effects of the procedure include bladder inflammation, pain, frequent or urgent urination and minor bleeding. Chemotherapy for early stage bladder cancer is generally used in combination with some form of surgery.

Treating More Advanced Stages

• If your bladder cancer is more advanced, you will typically receive chemotherapy to shrink your tumor prior to surgery or in combination with radiation therapy if surgery is not performed. You may also receive chemotherapy treatment after surgery as a further preventive against the return of your cancer. As a rule, chemotherapy in these stages is used as a systemic agent to address cancer cells that appear anywhere in your body. It is usually given intravenously and may involve either a single medication or several medications in combination. Drugs used for this purpose include cisplatin, carboplatin, doxorubicin, docetaxel, cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, methotrexate, ifosfamide, vinblastine and paclitaxel. In many cases, your oncologist uses a specific combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin, known collectively as MVAC. He may also choose to replace this mix with a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin, which achieves similar effectiveness with a lower level of side effects.

Treating Metastasized Bladder Cancer

• If your cancer has spread, or metastasized, to other areas of your body, you may receive systemic chemotherapy as your primary form of treatment. Chemotherapy may also be used in combination with radiation therapy or with surgery designed to improve your quality of life. You may also wish to be treated with experimental forms of chemotherapy in an established clinical trial.

Potential Treatment Side Effects

• Unfortunately, general chemotherapy injures several healthy organ systems as it achieves its cancer-fighting effects. Commonly affected areas of the body include your hair, bone marrow, skin, stomach and intestines. Side effects in these areas include heightened risk of infection, easy bruising or bleeding, hair loss, dry skin and skin sores, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. You may also experience significant disruptions of sexual function, including infertility and loss of sexual drive. Consult your oncologist for ways to diminish any side effects you experience.