Ask your health care team about the short- and long-term side effects your treatment may cause. They may have tips on how to cope with those side effects. They can also tell you what symptoms you should let your care team know about right away.
Treatment for Stage 0a
If you have stage 0a bladder cancer, your doctor will perform a TransUrethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) that removes the tumor. This will be the only cancer treatment you need. But because bladder cancer has a high risk of coming back, you will need to see your urologist regularly for cystoscopies and other follow-up tests.
If cancer does come back, it’s usually the same grade and stage and is treated with another TURBT.
Treatment for Stage 0is/Tis and Stage I (1)
Like stage 0a, treatment for stage 0is/Tis and stage I (1) bladder cancer begins with a TURBT to remove the tumor. But to help keep these cancers from coming back, you may also need intravesical therapy. This is a treatment that is put directly into the bladder using a catheter.
Immunotherapy helps your body’s immune system to identify, attack, and kill cancer cells. Your care team may use a type of immunotherapy called a checkpoint inhibitor.
You will need to have routine follow-up tests and exams to find a recurrence as early as possible.
If you have a Stage 0a noninvasive papillary tumor, the TURBT that removes the tumor will be the only treatment you need. However, you will need to see your urologist regularly for cystoscopies and other follow-up tests.
If you have Stage 0is or Stage I (1), your urologist may have you come back in about 4 to 6 weeks for another TURBT. Then, you will have additional cystoscopies and other tests every 3 months.
If your cancer doesn’t come back, follow-up visits can be spaced farther apart, such as every 6 months or once a year.
This guide will explain what bladder cancer is, how it is diagnosed, and the different types of bladder cancers (non-muscle invasive vs. muscle invasive). It will also explain different treatment options available,...
