John Daly's Bladder Cancer Battle
- Professional golfer and bladder cancer survivor John Daly, 58, is recovering from “emergency” hand surgery and remaining hopeful, insisting he’ll be back to his beloved sport “soon.”
- We’re happy to see the pro golfer staying optimistic amid adversity, especially after his battle with bladder cancer. The father of three previously underwent surgery to remove the cancer, but there’s still a high chance the disease will return.
- Bladder cancer is caused when cells that make up the urinary bladder start growing out of control, which can develop into tumors and over time, if not caught, spread to other parts of the body.
- Smoking is a leading risk factor for this disease with smokers being three times more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than non-smokers.
Daly took to his social media pages this week to share the news and reassured his followers that he’ll be returning to his beloved sport of golf in no time.
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He wrote alongside the image, shared on Instagram, “Thank you to Doc McClimans for getting me mended back!
“Should be hitting em again soon! Thx for all the messages.”
The five-time PGA Tour winner also wrote on Twitter, “Emergency hand surgery… thankful (it) went great and Doc McClimans for taking care of me. Be back playing in no time!”
Daly’s fans were quick to greet him with support, with one commenting, “Damn brother prayers for a speedy recovery you’re the only reason I started watching.”
Another wrote, “Get healed up! All the best and I can’t wait to see you swinging the sticks again!” while a third fan said, “Looking good brother.
“Get better quick. Thank God it wasn’t your drinkin[g] hand! [Probably] be harder to play guitar than rip a driver… but you may need to spend more time on the putting green than you’re used to,” commented a fifth fan.
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John Daly’s Cancer Journey
Before his bladder cancer diagnosis in 2020, John Daly was suffering with kidney stones and back pains. It was a visit to the doctor for those issues led to his diagnosis.
Speaking to the PGA Tour Champions Learning Center’s Golf Channel, Daly explained how his doctors were “pretty cool about how they explained it.”
He said, “They told me I had bladder cancer but it was one I could beat. I’ll have to change some things in life, but I can beat it.”
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For treatment, Daly underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy. He was reportedly told there was about an 85% chance his cancer would return, however, he’s maintained a positive outlook amid the uncertainty.
“The good news is it wasn’t in the kidneys and it wasn’t in the liver,” Daly revealed in another interview.
“A lot of people have had it and a lot of them have made it. I only smoked six cigarettes today. Normally I’d smoke about a pack and a half. I’m trying to slow everything down.”
What Are The Surgical Options To Treat Bladder Cancer?
A followup interview in March 2022, aside from Daly admitting that things were looking up, he offered information about his ongoing appointments.
“I go back in May and I’ve got to do once every six months now instead of three, but I’ve still got to do it for five years. Some days I feel like Superman, some days I feel like Jimmy Hoffa 6 feet under,” he explained.
Although the surgical procedure Daly underwent to remove the cancer was a successful, the disease has an 85% chance of returning.
Since his surgery, Daly has promised to start incorporating a more healthy lifestyle by quitting cigarettes and cutting back on his Diet Coke consumption. Something which seems as difficult transition, as he’s been known to smoke an estimated 40 cigarettes a day, as well as drinking up to 12 Diet Cokes daily.
Understanding Bladder Cancer
Your bladder is a hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ that expands as it fills with urine. The bladder is an essential part of your urinary system.
WATCH: Understanding Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Bladder cancer is caused when cells that make up the urinary bladder start growing out of control, which can develop into tumors and over time, if not caught, spread to other parts of the body.
It’s one of those cancers that you don’t hear about too often, which has always been surprising to me because it is the fifth most common cancer that we see in the American population,” Dr. Jay Shah, the cancer care program leader for urologic oncology at the Stanford Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
[It’s worth noting that the National Cancer Institute puts it as the sixth most common type of cancer in the U.S.]
It’s also important to note that there are a few types of bladder cancer:
- Urothelial carcinoma: The most common type of bladder cancer is called urothelial carcinoma. This type occurs when urothelial cells cells that line the inside of the bladder or other parts of the urinary tract become cancerous.
- Adenocarcinoma: 1 in 100 bladder cancers are adenocarcinomas, which have a higher likelihood of being invasive at diagnosis. This type of bladder cancer develops from glandular (secretory) cells in the lining of the bladder.
- Sarcoma: This type of bladder cancer is rare and found in the muscle cells of the bladder. Bladder sarcomas tend to form in the area between the openings of the ureters and the urethra, but they can also develop in the entire bladder area.
- Squamous cell carcinoma: About 5 percent of bladder cancer patients have squamous cell carcinoma. The cells in this type have a higher chance of becoming invasive. It is associated with chronic irritation of the bladder which can be caused by things like long-term use of a urinary catheter or an infection.
- Small cell carcinoma: This bladder cancer is very rare and starts in neuroendocrine (nerve-like) cells. It is a highly aggressive cancer that tends to be caught at advanced stages of the disease.
Meanwhile, symptoms of bladder cancer may include:
- Frequent urination
- Painful urination
- Flank pain (around the sides of your body)
- Urgency
- Blood in Urine
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Bladder cancer can be treated in various ways, but your doctor will consider several factors to determine the best treatment. Where the cancer is inside your body and if it has spread are some factors doctors look at before finalizing your treatment plan.
Surgery for bladder cancer often offers the best chance for a cure. There are various surgical options depending on the location of your bladder cancer.
For patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, treatment will most likely consist of transurethral resection of visible bladder tumor (TURBT). During this procedure, the surgeon gently inserts a surgical instrument containing a camera into the urethra and pushes it upward until it reaches the bladder.
Once at the bladder, the instrument is used to remove all the tumors that the surgeon can see on camera. Most patients can leave the hospital on the same day, but some may need to stay longer, depending on how much tissue has to be removed.
WATCH: Treating Late-Stage Bladder Cancer
If the surgeon and pathologist determine that more tissue needs to be removed, additional surgery may be performed four to six weeks later.
Depending on the aggressiveness of your tumor, cystoscopy (a procedure to see inside the bladder and urethra) will be required to check the area once a year or as frequently as every few months for the first few years after treatment. This is combined with routine imaging of the urinary tract.
Chemotherapy is usually recommended before cystectomy or the total or partial removal of the bladder. Giving chemotherapy prior, or “neoadjuvant,” has been shown in large trials to improve survival in bladder cancer.
Other options to treat bladder cancer may include immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
A relatively new Food and Drug Administration-approved immunotherapy and chemotherapy combination has shown promise for people with metastatic bladder cancer who cannot receive cisplatin-based treatment. The unique combination is enfortumab vedotin (also known as Padcev) and pembrolizumab (known as Keytruda). In a study, the new treatment responded to 64.5% of the patients.
Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
Smoking poses several health and cancer risks, and among them include bladder cancer. The National Institutes of Health says about half of all bladder cancer cases stem from smoking.
One reason smoking is so harmful to the bladder is that the toxins in nicotine and its chemical compounds can linger in the bladder for a long time before they are removed from the body in urine.
“The first and foremost thing for a healthy bladder is don’t smoke,” says Dr. Arjun Balar, director of the genitourinary oncology program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.
“I think that’s an obvious suggestion for a number of reasons. But if we can eliminate cancer risks that are related to smoking, that’s probably the most important thing you can do,” Dr. Balar added.
WATCH: Understanding bladder cancer risk factors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says tobacco smoke contains a mixture of more than 7,000 different chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer.
Cigarette smoking is linked to about 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, and people who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who don’t smoke. Additionally, second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer.
Tips for Living a Healthy Lifestyle
Daly may not have the healthiest habits when it comes to smoking and what he eats, but the pro golfer is certainly enjoying life. It’s important to understand that the experts we have spoken with have all made it clear that there is no “cancer diet,” meaning there are no guidelines that are recommended for every person with cancer or for those who have beaten a disease.
The general recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are the same whether you have cancer or not. But Dr. Ken Miller, the Director of Outpatient Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, has some guidelines for cancer survivors who are concerned about a recurrence:
1. Exercise at least two hours a week — and walking counts.
2. Eat a low-fat diet. The Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study, which looked at early stage breast cancer patients, found that a low-fat diet was associated with reduced risk for cancer recurrence, particularly in those with estrogen receptor-negative cancers. Other studies have found that foods with a high glycemic index that are digested quickly and cause a spike in blood sugar may lead to tumor growth in lung cancer patients.
3. Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. The American Cancer Society recommends aiming for two to three cups of vibrant vegetables and fruits each day.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that being obese can increase your risk for several types of cancer.
Recommendations for a Healthy Lifestyle: One Doctor’s Advice for Cancer Survivors
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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