Bladder Cancer No Longer a Deat...( SARASOTA Fla. June 30 /- At 51 Charle...),Health

SARASOTA, Fla., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- At 51, Charles Daniels had a lot to live for. A thriving construction business, a precious 11 year old daughter and a happy long-term relationship. When he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, he was determined to beat the odds. According to TMD, a medical tourism corporation, Daniels case is typical - he tried conventional medicine until they had nothing left to offer but a poor prognosis, and then went out of the country for alternative cancer treatment and is cancer free today.

Just before Christmas 2007, Daniels urinated blood. He went right to his primary care doctor, who did an ultrasound and X-rays, which were inconclusive. Suspecting an infection, his doctor gave him antibiotics. Within 24 hours, the blood was no longer visible. But a follow up visit showed microscopic blood in his urine, and he was sent to a urologist. A cytoscopy exam (where a small camera is inserted into the bladder) and intra-venous pyelogram (an X-ray with contrast that provides pictures of the entire urinary system) found bladder cancer. "I was shocked," Daniels said. "I was in perfect health, I felt good, and I thought I just had an infection."

This year, almost 71,000 Americans will be diagnosed with bladder cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, the survival rate for stage III bladder cancer is 50%; stage IV is rarely survived. Symptoms include blood in the urine and frequent, painful or urgent urination.

Risk factors are smoking, chemical exposure to dyes, rubber and pesticides, chronic infections and parasites. Women undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for cervical cancer also have an increased risk of developing bladder cancer.

Daniels' oncologist recommended surgery to remove the tumor. While his doctor was cautiously optimistic, further testing confirmed the invasive tumor had penetrated the muscle wall. "My doctor wanted to remove
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