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I continue to do well. My new oncologist said he’d never known a case like mine – surviving so long after such an initial cancer diagnosis. A few weeks later, a urologist called me ‘amazing’. So, averse tho’ I am to boasting, it does look like I really am exceptional.
One the UK’s leading urologist/oncologist thinks that my bladder cancer recurrencies are effectively new outbreaks, rather than a continuation of the initial cancer. So maybe I can continue in a sort of maintenance mode, treating each recurrence as and when it occurs by surgery – until one of the newer immunotherapy drugs coming to market is proven to work and is more available.
To recap:
| Cystoscopies | ||
| 15/10/2007 | G3T3bN3M1 | |
| 26/07/2010 | No evidence of cancer | |
| 13/03/2011 | Heavy clots; hospitalised & catheterised | |
| 09/06/2011 | CIS | |
| 04/01/2013 | T2a | |
| 12/08/2014 | Laser prostatectomy | |
| 08/10/2015 | Flexible cystoscopy; redness in bladder wall; rigid cystoscopy biopsy 22Dec15 | |
| 02/02/2016 | Biopsy: G2pTA aggressive | |
| 02/08/2016 | Biopsy: No CIS, just inflammation | |
| Treatments | ||
| 27Feb08 -17Jul08 | Cisplatin & Gemcitobine | |
| 13Mar-17Apr13 | 6x MMC | |
| 13Mar16-4May16 | 6 x BCG | |
| 04Jan-08Feb17 | 3x BCG | |
The above graph shows my monitoring with NMP-22 and CxBladder over the last 9+ years.
Having now exhausted all the available treatments for bladder cancer (cisplatin+gemcitabine, mitomycin-c, and BCG; along with the physical – surgical - removal of any growths/cancers), I cast around for possible alternatives.
I had long been following the research on the diabetic drug metformin. There had been indications that this may be useful, based on it effectively reducing the sugar/insulin in the blood. My first oncologist had been horrified by my suggestion, saying it would drive me into a coma. This alarmist interpretation has now been put to rest. Over the years there was increasing research to support its use, and now particularly for bladder cancer. Even better, there is research that it is beneficial for both kidney disease and cardiovascular disease (my other two morbidities):
Metformin influences nitrogen and urea metabolism
I have now started taking 2 x 500mg metformin slow release each day (morning/evening).
I have also recently read research about blue light shone on skin being able to stimulate immune cells: one such ref is below, but alas I’ve mislaid my copied document that originally alerted me to this.
Having bought a blue light, I shine it on my torso for anything from 15’ to 60’ a day.
I’m hoping these two treatments – metformin & blue light – will keep my bladder cancer dormant for longer.
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