Why do I need to see an Oncologist?

When bladder cancer has grown into the muscle of the bladder wall or beyond the bladder, or has spread to other areas of the body (secondary tumours) further treatment is needed.

An oncologist is a doctor who specialises in treating different types of cancer with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some oncologists do both types of treatment and some specialise in one rather than the other. You might therefore need to see two different oncologists or just one. The oncologist you see should be a specialist in treating bladder cancers.

The oncologist works closely with your urologist and discusses all new cases of bladder cancer and those patients whose cancer has progressed, at a weekly meeting called an MDT (multi-disciplinary team meeting). At that meeting, it will have been decided that seeing an oncologist will be the best course of action for you.

The oncologist may work in a clinic on the same day as your urologist, on a different day or even in a different hospital. You may need to still see the urologist in the future for more treatment or tests, or the oncologist may take over your care completely.