Bladder Cancer and Aging: Navigating Challenges and Prioritizing Care

In Episode 49, host Rick Bangs’s special guest is Dr. Sarah Psutka.  Dr. Psutka is a urologic oncologist specializing in bladder and other genital urinary cancers at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She’s also associate professor of urology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and one of two awardees of BCAN’s first-ever Translational Clinical Trial Award (TCTA).

Among other topics, Rick and Dr. Psutka talk about:

• Bladder cancer can affect individuals of various ages, not just older adults.
• The concept of physiologic age is important in assessing individual risk factors and resilience.
• Aging is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer and other health issues such as heart disease and lung disease.
• The aging US population poses challenges in terms of healthcare expertise and resources for older individuals.
• Shared decision making and prioritizing quality of life are crucial in managing aging-related diseases like bladder cancer.
• Personalized medicine should consider the holistic needs of patients, including biologic, sociologic, and financial factors.
• Baseline physical fitness and comorbidity burden play a significant role in determining suitable treatments for older bladder cancer patients.