Bladder cancer: therapy Synergo
Written by:Bladder cancer is one of the most frequent neoplasms, especially among the male population. The professor. Paolo Gontero, an expert in Urology in Turin , explains what therapy with Synergo is
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer, also called superficial urinary bladder, is one of the most common among men (fourth in all tumors, in the eighth place for women). When this is limited to the internal lining of the bladder, it is called a surface tumor; If the tumor penetrates deeper, it is called invasive bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer: what are the symptoms?
Symptoms do not necessarily manifest, but when they do include:
- Blood in the urine,
- Traces of blood in urinalysis;
- Discomfort;
- Frequency and urgency in the drift.
These, however, are symptoms that can also affect other benign and less disturbing diseases, so it is always good to contact a doctor so that he can interpret them.
The diagnosis of bladder cancer
For a physician to assess the patient's state of health, he uses an examination called cystoscopy through which tissue samples from the bladder wall are drawn and then analyzed by the microscope.
Further tests that the doctor may require are TAC and Magnetic Resonance, as well as ultrasound and X-ray examinations of the urinary tract.
If the presence of a tumor is suspected after testing, it is generally opted for its surgical removal through a technique known as transurethral resection .
Treatment of bladder cancer
Treatment of bladder cancer consists of two main phases:
- The treatment called TURBT, which involves total removal of the neoplasm. If the tumor is recurring, it can burn its roots through the laser during cystoscopy. If the tumor penetrates the muscle tissue, complete bladder removal ( cystectomy ) will be required, creating an alternative to urine drainage.
- Flushing therapy, which involves instilling biologically active chemicals inside the bladder. These chemotherapeutic agents are intended to destroy cells that have not been eliminated during surgery and potentially harmful. Instilled biological substances are designed to create an immune response to the destruction of neoplastic cells.
Synergo therapy
The percentage of redirect of the tumor, or of its progression, is quite high.
Another technique that helps in cases of bladder cancer is the therapy with Synergo , which combines the heating of the bladder wall with the instillation with chemotherapeutic substances. This therapy is performed by catheter inserted into the bladder through the urethra.
This catheter has three functions:
- It maintains constant, through a computer, the temperature of the bladder throughout the treatment;
- It monitors the temperature by thermocouples at various points of the bladder;
- It circulates the chemotherapy drug inside the bladder.
The results obtained by comparing this therapy with those used so far are very significant, as treatment with Synergo has led to a decline in post-operative neoplastic recurrences.
Who can undergo therapy with Synergo?
Synergo therapy is indicated for those patients with extensive cancer and for those whose conditions do not allow operation with anesthesia. The safety of using this technique has been demonstrated by numerous clinical trials, and the effects are generally mild and transient (they disappear within 72 hours).
At the end of any treatment for bladder cancer , the patient continues to be followed by the physician and monitored. Usually routine cystoscopes are necessary, in addition to the other examinations: this is essential to identify any neoplastic recurrences as soon as possible.. At the beginning the visits take place every three months, then they are thinned according to the decision of the attending physician. The patient must comply as closely as possible with the medical prescriptions and recommended check-ups.
Editor Karin Moscow