Focusing on the Positive Amid Cancer
- “Young and the Restless” star Eric Braeden, 83, says he is still in remission after beating bladder cancer last summer. He expects to continue appearing on the popular soap opera he’s been a part of since 1980.
- Bladder cancer develops when cells that make up the urinary bladder grow and eventually become tumors. Smoking is a leading risk factor for this disease. Common symptoms include frequent or painful urination or blood in urine.
- SurvivorNet experts say surgery for bladder cancer often offers the best chance for a cure.
- Depending on the aggressiveness of your tumor, cystoscopy (a procedure to see inside the bladder and urethra) will be required to check the area once a year or as frequently as every few months for the first few years after treatment.
“My cancer diagnosis right now is on hold, as it were, and I’m very grateful for very good doctors and modern cancer treatments,” Braden told Entertainment Tonight.
The veteran actor urged others to stay current with their health screenings to offset their cancer risk.
“Just go and have your cystoscopy, colonoscopy, and heart checked out. Do all that and do it in time,” Braeden pleaded.
Braeden’s cancer journey began while he was recovering from knee surgery. At the time, he started having problems with his prostate. He then noticed he was having a frequent urge to use the bathroom. The frequent urination stemmed from an enlarged prostate.
An enlarged prostate (also called benign prostatic hyperplasia) is a “condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous,” the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says.
“It got to the point where I had to get up almost every half hour, and that was when I was recuperating from my knee surgery, which was not a good thing,” Braeden explained in a Facebook Live post.
Braeden went to see his doctor, who examined his bladder and initially gave him the “all clear.” However, Braeden’s desire for more definite answers increased as symptoms persisted. Another look at Braeden’s bladder revealed he had cancer.
Braeden underwent immunotherapy treatments because some “high-grade cancer cells” were found. Immunotherapy is a medicine that helps the immune system wake up, search for, and then attack cancer cells, whether microscopic, large, or bulky tumors.
Braeden’s treatment helped him beat the cancer. Throughout his experience, he said he’s learned to better “listen” to his body.
Helping Patients Better Understand Bladder Cancer
- Bladder Cancer: Key Terms to Know
- Can Urinary Tract Infections Cause Bladder Cancer?
- Can Metastatic Bladder Cancer Be Treated With Immunotherapy?
- Digital Guide: Bladder Cancer & Surgery
- FDA Approves the First Major New Alternative to Surgery for Bladder Cancer in 20 years
- How is Bladder Cancer Treated Differently Once it Has Spread Beyond the Bladder?
Understanding Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the sixth-most common type of cancer overall in the United States, though it is the fourth-most common for men.
Your bladder is a hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ that expands as it fills with urine. The bladder is an essential part of your urinary system.
WATCH: Understanding Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Bladder cancer develops when cells that make up the urinary bladder start to grow and eventually develop into tumors. Smoking is a leading risk factor for this disease, with smokers being three times
Symptoms of bladder cancer may include:
- Frequent urination
- Painful urination
- Flank pain (around the sides of your body)
- Urgency
- Blood in Urine
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Bladder cancer can be treated in various ways, but your doctor will consider several factors to determine the best treatment. Where the cancer is inside your body and if it has spread are some factors doctors look at before finalizing your treatment plan.
Surgery for bladder cancer often offers the best chance for a cure. There are various surgical options depending on the location of your bladder cancer.
For patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, treatment will most likely consist of transurethral resection of visible bladder tumor (TURBT). During this procedure, the surgeon gently inserts a surgical instrument containing a camera into the urethra and pushes it upward until it reaches the bladder.
Once at the bladder, the instrument is used to remove all the tumors that the surgeon can see on camera. Most patients can leave the hospital on the same day, but some may need to stay longer, depending on how much tissue has to be removed.
WATCH: Treating Late-Stage Bladder Cancer
If the surgeon and pathologist determine that more tissue needs to be removed, additional surgery may be performed four to six weeks later.
Depending on the aggressiveness of your tumor, cystoscopy (a procedure to see inside the bladder and urethra) will be required to check the area once a year or as frequently as every few months for the first few years after treatment. This is combined with routine imaging of the urinary tract.
Chemotherapy is usually recommended before cystectomy or the total or partial removal of the bladder. Giving chemotherapy prior, or “neoadjuvant,” has been shown in large trials to improve survival in bladder cancer.
Other options to treat bladder cancer may include immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
A relatively new Food and Drug Administration-approved immunotherapy and chemotherapy combination has shown promise for people diagnosed with metastatic bladder cancers who cannot receive cisplatin-based treatment. The unique combination is enfortumab vedotin (also known as Padcev) and pembrolizumab (known as Keytruda). In a study of the combination, the new treatment achieved a response in 64.5% of the patients.
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