One of 700WLW’s favorite personalities stunned his listeners recently when he shared on air that his life had taken a sharp turn.
Marc Amazon, who can be heard mainly talking sports on The Big One during the afternoon rush hour, told his listeners he was about to begin treatment for cancer. It was hard news to hear for fans of the 41-year-old family man and local radio fixture.
“Believe me, it was hard for ME to hear,” the Mason-based broadcaster quipped on his show in late January.
Doctors delivered the diagnosis to Amazon over the holidays: he has bladder cancer. He started treatment “” like most of the 74,000 Americans who will be diagnosed with bladder cancer this year ““ with chemotherapy in late January. Like most of those newly diagnosed, Amazon says his prognosis is good, though each year bladder cancer claims the lives of 15,000 patients.
Understanding bladder cancer
Bladder cancer, as it stands, is only beginning to be fully understood even though it’s the sixth-most common form of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The most common form is known as Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC), which starts in the inner layer of the bladder, the urothelium. TCC usually manifests as cancer cells that begin growing in that layer and grow inward toward the hollow part of the bladder. Other forms of TCC, which are more difficult to treat, involve cancer cells that grow into deeper layers of the bladder wall. Aside from TCC, there are several other bladder cancers that are rarer and as difficult to treat.
A major link exists between external causes, namely toxins like those introduced by smoking, and bladder cancer. These carcinogens, once introduced into your body, eventually have to be eliminated. More often than not, that’s accomplished through urination, which means the toxins can interact with the bladder lining for hours before being removed.
As with most cancers, if caught early bladder cancer is more easily treated and chances for survival increase greatly, so doctors advise you should be aware of the early symptoms:
- Persistently dark urine: which may signal blood is present
- Changes in bathroom habits: having to go more often, pain and an often urgent need to urinate are signals that you may have bladder cancer or at least enough cause for concern to consult your doctor immediately
Treatment options
Treatment can range from chemotherapy and radiation therapy to more invasive measures like surgery, depending on the type of cancer found and how early it’s detected.
That’s one reason Amazon is now talking publicly about his fight, he said on the air recently.
“You’ve gotta get that check-up, which is what I’m telling everyone. It could mean a world of difference if the doctors find it early enough,” he said.
You know your body. If you’re experiencing symptoms mentioned above or changes that don’t seem normal, consult your physician. Early detection is key.
*Marc Amazon provided an update on his health in early November 2015, stating: “My health is great. I was diagnosed almost exactly a year ago, had my partial bladder removal the day after Christmas, and did chemo until June. I was lucky to have caught it fairly early and have excellent doctors. I feel as good as I ever have.”
