Catto - Figure 8
Diagnosis is complicated
FIG. 8: Diagnosis of bladder cancer is complicated. This Figure illustrates a flowchart from my cancer network in the UK. Patients who present with symptoms suggestive of bladder cancer require endoscopy and sometimes cytoscopy. They will require some radiology, surgery to confirm the diagnosis, and histopathology to review the surgery. So induction of these patients includes a number of stages, and if their diagnosis suggests a life-threatening cancer, the patients will then require a discussion about choice of treatments.
Within the UK, depending on the diagnosis, the patient may be referred to a higher-volume center where they can be offered a choice of reconstruction. They will need to see reconstructive nurses and stoma nurses, and to consider neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
In summary, there are many stages in the process from initial presentation to a community doctor with symptoms of bladder cancer until the time a patient is started on a course of definitive treatment.
