Are bladder and skin cancer related as to source and recurrence?

have been treated with bcg for bladder cancer, 30 times over two years, suspect have some skin cancers and now bladder cancer has returned.

Skin cancer is not the same as bladder cancer. That doesn't mean that the two are not "related" for you. There is a possibility that the bladder cancer has metastisized to your skin (skin is the largest organ we human's have). When we are diagnosed with cancer, the medical professionals usually will try to determine if there is cancer anywhere else in our bodies. They usually put us through a number of tests to determine (if they can) exactly where the cancer started. If its primary source is the bladder, then they call it "bladder cancer", if it is in the liver, or breast etc., then they call it liver or breast cancer.

All cancer is the "out of control" growth of cells. When you are treated with bacille calmette-guerin (BCG), they are trying to stop the cancer from spreading to other organs. Sometimes, a side effect of BCG is a rash. Have you investigated this possibility?

When a cancer spreads (metastisizes), it goes to other organs, or to the blood. While the medical profession can usually figure out which are the likely organs to be affected, they can't predict. They have to do tests.

Usually, "skin cancer" that is diagnosed as such, is localized and treatment is usually sucessful by removal of the affected skin. It doesn't usually become cancerous through metastisis from other cancers, but that doesn't mean that never happens. As noted previously, our skin is our largest organ.

Let me tell you my cancer story, and maybe you will see some similarities and some of your fears will be addressed: I have breast cancer (stage 3/3). As part of the surgery, I had the lymph nodes under my arm removed (a number of them were cancerous). As a result, my remaining breast tissue has a low grade infection that is taking months and months to resolve. There was some fear that the cancer had metastisized to the skin or, alternatively, it was inflamitory breast cancer (it looks like a type of skin cancer). A biopsy was done and it turned out to be non-cancerous (wheew!). The oncologists are now thinking it is my lack of lymph nodes that is creating the problem: blockage in what is left of my breast (lymph nodes help our bodies fight infections etc). It got worse when I had radiation, but slowly it is now getting better.

So the short answer is: everything is connected. When cancer metastisizes, there is usually a pattern of which organs are affected by the cancer, but it is not particulary predicable. The best thing to do is have your doctor/medical team in on your concerns. Have it removed if it looks cancerous, and have the tissue tested.

Good luck Source(s): Mayo Clinic, Wikpedia, Dr. S. Love, experience

cancer travels anywhere in the body.
The bladder and skin are made up of different tissues. The type of cancer that occures in the Bladder is typically a squamous cell cancer depending where it develops.

Epithelial tissues in the skin develop different types of cancers such as melanoma or basillar cell. These cancers are treated differently and react differently.

of course your Oncologist will answer these questions much more thoroughly and it is a very good question. You can do searches on skin cancer and on bladder cancer in a multitude of search engines. Duke university has an exellent search engine where you will find great details from thier medical library.

Best wishes.