What the Pathology Report Says

This is the biggest piece of information of the entire process, even more revealing than surgery, because to get the pathology report, pathologists must dissect and microscopically examine every tiny bit of tissue that they took out of Bill, so that they can better understand the status of his cancer.

The results are as follows (and if anyone wants a particular detail, because you are experienced with these things, and know what the details are about, email me, and I will provide that. This report will be very surface, for obvious reasons):

According to my reading and intensive research on the report and its terminology, here is what I THINK it says:

He had bladder cancer, urothelial--transitional cell carcinoma. We knew that. He had two cancers in his bladder and one area of granuloma. We knew that, too. His cancers are the highest grade, most aggressive kind. We knew that, too.

The cancer did break through the outside of the bladder and was visible there without microscope (macroscopic, they call it).

Cancer was also found in two lymph nodes near the bladder. That was the news we most didn't want to hear, but which could have been much worse, because it could have been in a lot of nodes, but wasn't. And the nodes with the cancer are gone now.

There are a few other details if you want them by email. Not all of you would want those, I realize.

The big surprise was that he also had prostate cancer. Dr. Walther didn't mention that this morning. I wonder if doctors purposely only give you the merest edge of information at first to avoid shocking you.

The prostate cancer is called adenocarcinoma, Gleason grade 3 + 3 = 6, (which means it is relatively well-behaved cancer type), bilateral, organ confined, with perineural invasion, but no spread to lymph nodes at all. Prostate is also removed, so hurray for that, too.

The next thing that happens is this:

1. Bill gets to go home tomorrow for sure! HOORAY!

2. We'll have a home nurse. HOORAY!

3. We come back in 2 weeks to get the stitches out and to get tests done on his kidneys to see if he qualifies for more chemotherapy.

Oops gototta go help him walk. sending.

love to all

God is good.