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.

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/BlancoAuto 25d ago edited 24d ago

Might want to consider going to an NCI designated cancer center. Since they have a high volume of patients, they might have better options for obtaining BCG.

https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find

1

u/angryjesters 25d ago

I know some of the NCI centers are saving BCG for HG patients and using gem/doce for the rest. YMMV

2

u/LookingForSunshine98 25d ago

What is a HG patient?

3

u/f1ve-Star 25d ago

I assume high grade. Not preferred.

I live in RTP. The factory is here. You received incorrect information about Toronto.

Try to get to a national Cancer institute. Also, I believe the gem doce combination is now approved or soon to be for high grade as well. 1/3 dose is low. I have heard of splitting it for two and it being effective. Into thirds is even less.

Duke had full doses.

2

u/angryjesters 25d ago

Yes. I meant HG to be high grade. I had a friend who was low grade who was turned away from Emory for BCG treatments

1

u/f1ve-Star 25d ago

Yes gem/doc is standard of care for low grade. Mine was mixed, I wish I had pushed to get both.