Can CLL treatment or CLL cause bladder cancer?

[barger1951]

I had CLL (in remission) and was on IBR for 2 years. I recently have been treated for bladder cancer during the last 12 months or so and after treatment irradiated the cancer with one small reoccurrence . My question is has anybody experienced bladder cancer after getting treatment with Ibrutinib or as a general sequence of having CLL?

Thanks Barger1951

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Barger, the following was posted 6 months ago and should be of interest to you.

CLL patients are susceptible to secondary cancers.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

[Walt424]

I was diagnosed with CLL in 2006. Watch and wait for ten years, then in trial at Stanford. Because of trial I had CT scans every six months. In fall of 2017 they noticed “thickening” in my bladder which turned out to be a tumor. (Micropapillary). Had a radical cystectomy in February of 2018. So far no sign of metastasis. I was in control at Stanford and received obinituzimab and Chlorambicill. I too have wondered if there’s a connection but Dr Coutre did not think so.

[barger1951 in reply to Walt424]

Thanks Walt, I had the exact same thing, Coutre is also my doctor. I did not have CT scans, found the bladder tumor through a urine test. Wait and watch for 10 years before treatment with IBR. My other thought was that I had been exposed to RoundUp as well (who knows).

[barger1951 in reply to Walt424]

This is what Cllady01 sent me, it makes sense: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo

The study suggest that the medication we took can alter the very DNA cell structure and cause tumors or other cancers to occur.

So, I am not sure I entirely agree with Dr. Steven Coutre. I think it was a contributing factor.

Cheers,

Barger

[U2me]

I have CLL and was treated with FCR IN 2016 because of terribly swollen lymph nodes. The treatment went well, but in 2018 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which very well may have been caused, as I was told by a specialist, due to the heavy treatment.

[barger1951 in reply to U2me]

I agree, it has to be factored in.

Thanks

Barger1951

[bayside64]

My brother had CLL first and several years later was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

[barger1951 in reply to bayside64]

Interesting, as only 1% of the people in the general population get bladder cancer so maybe it is no coincidence. Thanks for replying to me.

Best Regards

Steve

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to barger1951]

You need to look into more detail than just the overall risk. Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the USA with 700,000 people living with it, so we shouldn't be surprised that some of us unfortunately get both. Also, to quote SEER, "Bladder cancer becomes more common with age..." Further the median age at diagnosis of 73 is about the same as that for CLL. A huge 30% of those diagnosed with bladder cancer are diagnosed between the ages of 65 and 74 with 92% diagnosed when 45 or older. seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/h...

It's highly likely correlation not causation. That said, given our increased risk of secondary cancers we should be on the lookout for any concerning changes to our health and have them investigated.

Neil