Bladder Cancer (cont.)

Medical Author:

Gary David Steinberg, MD

Medical Author:

Mark H. Katz, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Next Steps

Follow-up

After you complete your treatment, you will undergo a series of tests to determine how well your treatment worked at getting rid of your cancer.

• If the results show remaining cancer, your urologic oncologist will recommend further treatment.
  
  
• If the results show no remaining cancer, he or she will recommend a schedule for follow-up visits. These visits will include tests to see whether the cancer has come back. They will be frequent at first because of the risk of the cancer recurrence after treatment.
  
  
• If you still have your native bladder, follow-up will include interval cystoscopy and urine tests.
  
  
• If you have undergone radical cystectomy, follow-up will include imaging tests of your chest and abdomen.