This is one of those cancers that people don’t like to think about or even talk about. But it does occur and it’s best to be aware of how it starts and progresses.
The function of the bladder is to gather and accumulate urine until it is ejected from the body. The bladder walls are made up of muscles and urinary epithelium.
At the back are the ureters that take urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The lower portion of the bladder narrows down into the urethra, which carries the urine from the body.
Bladder cancer can be of two types superficial and invasive cancers. Superficial bladder tumors are also known as papillary tumors or bladder warts.
They are found on the urinary epithelium surface. Invasive bladder cancers, as the name suggests, spread deeper into the epithelium, continuing into the muscle layer or surrounding tissues.
Sometimes they spread through the bladder wall to adjacent organs such as the rectum, colon, prostate gland/uterus, pelvic bones, and lymph glands.
This kind of cancer occurs more often in men than women and is usually diagnosed after the age of 65. Smoking is a major cause of bladder cancer as chemicals in the tobacco smoke are absorbed into the blood.
The kidneys filter these out, and they are stored in the bladder as part of the urine, and this is how the bladder lining is damaged. Smokers are more likely to develop this cancer than nonsmokers so by stopping smoking they reduce their risks for developing this disease.
There are certain chemicals used in some industries such as the rubber, dye, paint, textile, and printing industries, which can affect a person and increase their chance of getting bladder cancer. Diet is still not linked to this cancer but a low-fat diet high in vegetables and fruits can lower the risk.
The symptoms of bladder cancer manifest themselves as blood in the urine, which is the most common symptom. However, blood clots may form, which could obstruct the flow of urine and cause pain. Pelvic pain, a burning feeling when passing urine, and the urge to urinate frequently are all symptoms of this disease.
Other symptoms are unexplained weight loss, appetite loss, and fever. If you have these symptoms it is best to consult a doctor who may then refer you to an urologist. You may have to go through some tests such as a cytoscopy or urogram.
These will help the expert see inside the bladder and find abnormalities. A CT scan, MRI or bone scans can help the doctor check how far the disease has spread.
If the bladder cancer is superficial it is removed with a probe that is passed into the bladder with a cytoscope. Chemotherapy can also be used to wash out the bladder after a tumor or lesion has been excised.
Superficial tumors can recur so you should have a checkup every few months. For invasive tumors, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery can be advised individually or in combination.
If the entire bladder is removed in surgery, as sometimes happens, the bladder will be reconstructed using bowel tissues or artificial materials.
Ask your doctor about the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. Find out more information about it before you go in for any treatment.
