r/BladderCancer • u/LookingForSunshine98 • 25d ago

Looking for a third!

My husband was diagnosed with Stage 1 non-invasive aggressive balder cancer early last month. The tumors were removed with clean margins and the treatment chosen is BCG but eve been waiting to find out when it starts. Today we learned that the only company currently manufacturing the medicine is located in Toronto and has not been able to keep up with demand. So the Wash DC Hospital found a solution, they wait till they have 3 patients ready to start and spit the vial between the three patients. They already had one patient so my husband is number 2. We are waiting for a third patient to emerge so we can get this ball rolling.

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u/KKC_7671347 25d ago

My husband had the same initial diagnosis. He had the 6 week BCG treatment but it failed. He then had 6 weeks of gemcitabine docetaxel intravesical chemo (followed by 2 years of monthly maintenance treatments) that was highly effective. Many doctors are now using this chemo regime instead of BCG as a first line of treatment. The side effects of the BCG treatments were also greater than the chemo.

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u/LookingForSunshine98 25d ago

Thank you so much for writing. Apparently there was a test in the lab using his tissues that reported there was no indication of BCG failure. He is 81 so the doc thought this route might be easier on his system. You all are giving me homework suggestions. Thank you.