Homepage – Forum › Forums › Research, Clinical Trials, and New Treatments › Mytomycin-c may be better than BCG?
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LemonsFixCancer.
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January 5, 2016 at 8:33 pm #8336
LemonsFixCancer
Participanthttps://www.mskcc.org/blog/study-clarifies-how-bladder-treatment-works
Mytomycin-c might be more effective than BCG (cow tuberculosis) for treating stage 1 bladder cancer, especially if the cancer recurs.
January 5, 2016 at 9:04 pm #20162DDep
ParticipantInteresting post.
Being an Engineer, I like researching.I have read the article and the study previously.
BCG has been demonstated to provide an effective response in treating TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma) and its progression within the Bladder by killing the Cancer cells. The specific nature of HOW BCG works through an Immunological response has not been thoroughly understood.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering study has provided some insight for the medical/scientific community into how BCG may do this.
I am not sure how Mytomycin-C may be better in the context of this study.
I am aware that Mitomycin-C may be a more effective treatment for TaLG Tumor Recurrence.
BCG has been demonstrated as a better treatement for Progression of TCC. In the case of T1 (or Stage 1) tumors, the cells, and their clones, have already demonstrated a propensity for invasion. As such, I would think that for T1 TCC it would be better to treat for Progression. That is why, as I understand, all patients diagnosed with T1 TCC are treated with BCG.
A protocol followed widely is one authored by the South West Oncology Group (SWOG). A Mitomycin-C “wash” is normally administered TURBT Post-Op for the Recurrence aspect and then a BCG Induction and Maintenance treatment regime follows for the Progression aspect.
HTH
DDep
January 16, 2016 at 2:02 pm #20183Jack Moon
KeymasterI find it amazing that in 2016, after nearly 40 years of being the gold standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, that we do not know why BCG works in stopping the cancer from returning. We do not know why it works for Jack and Betty and not for Bill and Suzy. We do not know why after some have failed BCG treatments, but some chemo treatments work. It surely shows the lack of research that has been done for bladder cancer. Hopefully going forward this changes somewhat, but until the cause of the cancer is found based on facts, not assumptions, all we will be discussing is treatments after cancer has been found.
I believe their is a cure and a cause for all cancers, but until the governments around the world put our tax dollars to work this will not be found. The research needs to be done by scientists that do not have a vested interest in cancer.
JackJanuary 16, 2016 at 6:12 pm #20188KIOWA
Participantwell I am with Jack on this one. All these years and we don;t know why BCG works in so many cases. Lack of research. Very frustrating. My=itomycin, hymmm, I think we have the same situation. My urologist does not rule out its possible effectiveness but he has little faith in Mito. He has some faith in BCG and some faith in Valstar. He is will to try anything that will save a bladder and a life though. Bladder cancer research is seriously lacking and it amazes me.
Kiowa
January 17, 2016 at 3:48 pm #20189DDep
ParticipantMy first response to this string was specifically directed and the initial post.
Now that Jack has opened up the issue … I gives me an excuse to rant.
When I was first told I had a Bladder Tumor (Large) by my family Doctor after he reviewed the UltraSound – I was shocked. My Doctor, was also, to put it mildly, very surprised. He said, “You had none of the risk factors” (Active, Never smoked, No chemicals, Office job, Non Drinker, Healthy diet). Further he said, “You had no previous indications” as he read through my file once again. Later we talked about the Canadian Cancer Society’s (CCS) focus on risk factors. CCS is largely focused on preventing the 4 most prevalent cancers: Lung, Colon, Breast and Prostate. Recently they started a campaign on skin cancer. (Ref: http://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/cancer information/cancer 101/Canadian cancer statistics/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2014-EN.pdf)
During one of my BCG instillations, the nurse said to me,”Did you even hear about or were concerned about Bladder Cancer before this? I wasn’t until I began to work in Urology!”. Needless to say, before being diagnosed, I was neither concerned or aware. Only later to find out it is the 4th most common of Cancers in men. What troubled me on reflection, was the lack of awareness by my family Doctor and the Nurse in Urology – two people, both medical experts.
And therein lies the answer to why, it is just incredible in this day and age that we don’t know enough about Bladder Cancer: Lack of Awareness that leads to Ignorance and Lack of Knowledge. Lack of Knowledge in all its forms: Public, Scientific, Pharmacological, and Medical.
It is left to BCC to raise awareness. But why is it not on CCS’s high level radar?
It is my conjecture that it may have something to do with cost. Cost associated with: Prevention, Awareness, Incidence rate, Severity of Incidence, Consequence of detection, Treatment etc.
The sad, disappointing and concerning result is that the relative survival rate for Bladder cancer has not improved over the last number of years versus all other top cancers where the opposite is true. Based on the findings, in general, you will live longer if you are diagnosed with some other cancer than Bladder. Ref: 1) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140225101644.htm and 2) Page 63 of https://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/cancer information/cancer 101/Canadian cancer statistics/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2015-EN.pdf
So, as Jack said, In the case of Bladder Cancer the level of ignorance is surprising and disappointing. For the purpose of this string, I find it incredible and sad that for treatment of BCC as a whole, we still rely on serendipity.
God Bless
DDep
January 17, 2016 at 4:00 pm #20190cheryl9
ParticipantHello DDep
I am in your camp also. Dismayed and at times furious about the lack of awareness of BC and the pure lack of knowledge of BC in the medical profession.
Yes, the first four cancers should get more attention than BC but they shouldn’t be getting all the attention.
It took two years of gross hematuria episodes (each time I would go in and be diagnosed with a bladder infection) before anyone said “hmmm, there might be something more going on” and it was a resident. The resident stuck to his guns even after the GP he was working under went up one side of him and down the other that it wouldn’t be BC. The resident gave me a summary run down of what would be happening. Thank goodness I didn’t know what the medical terms meant because the emotional response would have been unbearable. His list was short with the last one listed being the RC.
I really wonder how much time the education system spends on teaching students about BC. My guess is about ten minutes. Long enough to list and briefly describe the steps along the way to an RC.
Shame on the medical profession.
Take care
January 17, 2016 at 5:17 pm #20192KIOWA
ParticipantMan, some of these posts are too long to read. So I’ll skim. As in skim milk. Anyway, didn;t mean to open a can of worms here. Sorry about that.
Kiowa
January 21, 2016 at 8:02 am #20207LemonsFixCancer
Participantcure and a cause for all cancers, but until the governments around the world put our tax dollars to work this will not be found. The research needs to be done by scientists that do not have a vested interest in cancer.
Jackhttp://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/budget
The US government (National Cancer Institute) budgets $5 billion per year to fight all types of cancer.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-war-anniversary-idUSBRE92D0PG20130314
Since the recent war in Iraq started (not including the cost of Afghanistan), the US spent $2 trillion. So, the war in Iraq, since its inception, would have paid for 400 years of cancer research.
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