Bladder Cancer Matters

 Join Dr. Aditya Bagrodia, a urologic oncologist, on Episode 67 of the Bladder Cancer Matters podcast as he unveils the power of shared decision making in bladder cancer care. Learn why involving patients and caregivers in treatment choices, rooted in their values and informed by expert insight, is crucial across all stages of bladder cancer. Discover the goals of care from non-muscle invasive bla...

Dive into Dean Karrel's powerful journey as a bladder cancer survivor, from his initial diagnosis to life after a radical cystectomy, in Episode 66 of Bladder Cancer Matters . Dean shares the symptoms that led to his life-changing diagnosis, the resilience he maintained through treatments that failed him like BCG and Gemcitabine, and his decision for life-saving surgery. His story is a unfiltered...

In this episode of Bladder Cancer Matters, host Rick Bangs chats with Dr. Elizabeth Guancial, a medical oncologist at Florida Cancer Specialists in Sarasota, Florida. They discuss the differences between receiving bladder cancer care in academic medical centers and community hospitals. Dr. Guancial is an expert because she has practiced in both types of institutions. Dr. Guancial shares that in ac...

In this riveting episode of the Bladder Cancer Matters podcast, Mark Story sits down with Rick Bangs, the podcast's host and a muscle-invasive bladder cancer survivor. Dive deep into Rick's personal battle with bladder cancer and uncover the critical role of patient advocacy in shaping research.  You'll also discover the behind-the-scenes magic of podcast production and get a glimpse into the futu...

In Part 3 of this Bladder Cancer Matters podcast, host Rick Bangs continues his conversation with Bill Robertson, a bladder cancer survivor, and Dr. Vikram Narayan, an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Emory University School of Medicine. They discuss the challenges and adjustments that come with having an ileal conduit, a common diversion procedure for bladder cancer patients. D...

In Part 2 of 3 in this Bladder Cancer Matters podcast, host Rick Bangs continues his conversation with Bill Robertson, a bladder cancer survivor, and Dr. Vikram Narayan, an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Emory University School of Medicine. They discuss the difficult decision of undergoing a radical cystectomy, the potential benefits of bladder removal, and the importance of u...

In Part 1 of a three part "Bladder Cancer Matters" podcast, join host Rick Bangs as he engages in an enlightening conversation with bladder cancer survivor, Bill Robertson, and Dr. Vikram Narayan of Emory University School of Medicine.   Dr. Narayan is Bill's urologist and helped him navigate the challenges of a bladder cancer diagnosis and resulting bladder removal. Dr. Narayan sheds light on the...

In this episode of Bladder Cancer Matters, host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Philippe Spiess, a Genitourinary Oncologist and Assistant Chief of Surgical Services at the Moffitt Cancer Center as they discuss rare cancers. Dr. Spiess explains that rare cancers are defined as those with an incidence of 40,000 cases or less per year in the United States. However, he notes that the definition of rare canc...

In Episode 61 of Bladder Cancer Matters, Dr. Brendan Guercio, a medical oncologist and assistant professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of bladder cancer.  He explains that immunotherapy works by training the immune system to identify and fight cancer cells, unlike chemotherapy which directly kills cancer cells. Dr. Guercio focu...

In this episode of the Bladder Cancer Matters podcast, host Rick Bangs interviews Dr. Arlene Siefker-Radtke, a medical oncologist and professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. They discuss metastatic bladder cancer and the importance of defining choosing the right targets and combinations for treatment.  Dr. Siefker-Radtke explains that metastatic cancer is the highest stage...

In Episode 59 of Bladder Cancer Matters, host Rick Bangs talks with Alan Lifton, a survivor of muscle invasive bladder cancer. Alan shares his journey and experiences and discusses his diagnosis, treatment, and choice of urinary diversion (ileal conduit). He also highlights the importance of support from organizations like the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) and its Survivor to Survivor pro...

In this episode of Bladder Cancer Matters, host Rick Bangs interviews Mary Dunn, MSN, NP-C, OCN, RN of the University of North Carolina.  Mary is a nurse practitioner and co-chair of the BCAN Survivorship Task Force. They discuss the definition of a cancer survivor, the concept of survivorship, and the unique aspects of bladder cancer survivorship. They also talk about the work of the BCAN Survivo...

In Episode 57 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Leslie Ballas of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center about a topic on the minds of many patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer:   keeping their bladders .   Even when the cancer has penetrated the bladder wall, can bladders still be saved?   Then answer (for some) is "yes," and Rick and Dr. Ballas discuss: What bladder preserva...

In Episode 56 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Matthew Galsky, a medical oncologist who specializes in treating bladder cancer patients, about advancing new treatments for bladder cancer through clinical development and investigating the gap between the efficacy and real-world effectiveness of existing chemotherapies. Among other topics, they discuss:  The VESPER trial an...

In Episode 55 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Cathy Murphy about how she overcame multiple cancer diagnoses and faced them head-on. Their conversation will draw you in with its emotional depth and compelling insights. Among other topics, they discuss: Her journey with two forms of breast cancer prior to her bladder cancer diagnosis  Coping mechanisms she implemented during t...

In Episode 54 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Shannon Murphy about her bladder cancer diagnosis at age 35. Their discussion is real, raw, and riveting. Among other topics, they discuss: Her experiences with a cystoscopy, TURBT, and BCG The difficulties in determining when and whom to inform about her diagnosis Her advice for managers and colleagues on how to navigate a direc...

In Episode 53 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Tom Powles about an interesting clinical trial he and others conducted studying the effectiveness of a drug to treat metastatic bladder cancer. Among other topics, they discuss:  The JAVELIN 100 trial that successfully studied the effectiveness of avelumab after chemotherapy in bladder cancer patients who have locally advance...

Historically, many patients who have a radical cystectomy (bladder removal) also have an extended lymph node dissection, which means taking out several lymph nodes during the surgery. A new study led by Dr. Seth Lerner of Baylor College of Medicine (and also a BCAN Board Member) suggests that taking out a large number of lymph nodes does not improve both disease-free survival and overall survival....

*** This episode contains explicit language and candid conversations about bladder cancer and sexuality. We believe it's essential to have open, honest conversations about these matters, to provide support and guidance to those who may be facing similar experiences. Bladder cancer can bring about significant changes and challenges in the realm of intimacy and sexuality, and we want to address thes...

In an important and timely podcast, host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Goya Iyer, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he is section head for urothelial cancer. They discuss the disturbing shortage of platinum-based chemotherapy drugs for bladder cancer patients, most commonly cisplatin and carboplatin. They cover: - Why these drugs are in short supply - Short and long...

In Episode 49, host Rick Bangs's special guest is Dr. Sarah Psutka.  Dr. Psutka is a urologic oncologist specializing in bladder and other genital urinary cancers at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She's also associate professor of urology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.  Among other topics, Rick and Dr. Psutka talk about: Bladder cancer can affect individuals of various ages...

In Episode 48 of Bladder Cancer Matters, host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Jason Efstathiou about a topic that's frequently on the minds of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer: Can they keep their bladders?  They discuss: What bladder preservation is The different types of approaches to bladder preservation How many surgeons in the U.S. have taken a conservative approach compared to other co...

In Episode 47 Part 2 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs continues his conversation with Damon Thomas, a triathlete and a bladder cancer survivor. You can also  read Damon's story in BCAN's patient stories section. In Part 2, Rick and Damon talk about: How he made the decision to tell others about his bladder cancer How Damon put together his medical team The degree to which his treatments...

In Episode 47 Part 1 of  Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Damon Thomas, a triathlete and a bladder cancer survivor. You can also read Damon's story in BCAN's patient stories section. Rick and Damon talk about: Damon's delayed diagnosis His experience with his first cystoscopy, which Damon described as "barbaric" As a non-smoker, African-American and triathlete, how Damon did not...

In Episode 45 of Bladder Cancer Matters , host Rick Bangs talks with Dr. Michael O'Donnell, Director of Urologic Oncology at the University of Iowa. He is the author of over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Urology and CURE. Dr. O'Donnell leads several national clinical trials using immune therapy to treat bladder cancer. Rick and and Dr. O'Donnell...