Lotan - Figure 19
Should We Use Markers for Every Patient?
FIG. 19: So should we use markers for every patient? No; we cannot ignore cystoscopy. Patients with a tumor on cystoscopy do not need a marker because we know what to do; we have to take the patient to the operating room.
But what if there are atypical findings? Then markers may have a significant role because they may be able to clarify these situations. Patients who have atypical findings are concerned, and the clinician is concerned about a possible missed cancer.
But what if the cystoscopy is normal? In this setting, the role of a marker is unclear because while it is possible that the marker might identify cancers that are missed by cystoscopy, this is very hard to prove.
