Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer: A Patient-Friendly Guide to Understanding Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options resulted from a unique collaboration between doctors and patients. It started when David Pulver was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2007 and got a second opinion from Mark Schoenberg, MD, an internationally acknowledged authority on bladder cancer. They formed a partnership—not only to treat David's bladder cancer but also to write a patient-friendly book for other patients diagnosed with this disease. The book combines expert medical information with a clear writing style that organizes and presents the information in the most patient-friendly way. When you are diagnosed with bladder cancer or have a recurrence of your disease, many questions start running through your mind. What does my diagnosis mean? What are my treatment options? How serious is my disease? Can I be cured? To grapple with these questions, you need to understand your diagnosis and learn about your treatment options— so you can get the best possible outcomes for your disease. The mission of this book is to educate you about bladder cancer so you can understand your diagnosis and make informed decisions regarding your treatment and care. This book will help you be a proactive patient, have better conversations with your doctor, and become your own advocate in fighting your disease. What You Will Learn from This Book This book is organized into 14 chapters and 4 appendixes. You should first read Chapters 1–5, which provide information all patients with bladder cancer need to know. Topics include how to become a proactive patient, the anatomy and functions of the urinary system, how bladder cancer is diagnosed, and what you need to know to understand your diagnosis. The next step is to read the specific chapter or chapters that discuss the treatment options for your specific diagnosis. Chapters 6–13 include detailed information about the treatment options for the different types and stages of bladder cancer. Finally, Chapter 14 discusses the challenges bladder cancer survivors face as they transition from active treatment to follow-up care. In addition, there are 4 appendixes, including a glossary of bladder cancer terms and a list of bladder cancer resources for patients and their families. This book addresses the questions, concerns, and challenges that confront people diagnosed with bladder cancer and those who love and support them.