Can bladder cancer be cured after recurrence

When we say someone is "cured" of a disease , we mean that the disease is completely gone and will not come back. When we say someone is cured of cancer, we generally mean that after a certain period of time, there is still no evidence of cancer recurrence. So can bladder cancer be cured after it recurs?

For most patients, bladder cancer is completely curable. Low-grade, superficial bladder cancer is, in a sense, curable when the tumor has been completely removed. Unfortunately, bladder cancer is prone to recurrence. Even though the tumor has been completely removed, new tumors may grow in the original or new location. Therefore, regular follow-up examinations are required after surgery. Most recurrent tumors discovered early are still curable. Shen Yijun, Department of Urology, Fudan University Cancer Hospital

For patients whose tumors have invaded the bladder muscle layer, cure is possible. The surgeon removes part or all of the bladder. If the tumor is completely removed, you are cured. Surgery cures 80% of bladder cancers that are confined to the bladder. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if the tumor has been completely removed. The surgeon does not know if any cancer cells have left the bladder under the microscope.