Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is a fairly common form of cancer and men are affected two to three times more than women. Most bladder cancers occur after the age of 55. The disease is not contagious.

Risk Factors

• Smoking
• Occupational Hazards
• Workers in Rubber, Chemical & Industries
• Hairstylists, Machinists, Metal Workers, Printers, Painters, Textile Workers

Symptoms

The most common symptom of Bladder Cancer

• Blood in urine with or without clots
• Increased frequency of urine
• Feeling the need to urinate many times specially at night and sometimes not able to pass urine.
• Painful urination (Dysuria)
• Urgency and Urge Incontinence
• Weight Loss
• Fatigue

Diagnosis/Investigations

• Urine Analysis reveals presence of blood, pus cells in the urine
• Ultrasonography of KUB
• Intravenous Urography ( IVU)
• CT Urography.

Subsequently, biopsy through cystoscopy will confirm the definitive diagnosis of Bladder Cancer.

Once biopsy confirms presence of Transitional Carcinoma, stages and grading of cancer can be done.

Treatment

Treatment of the bladder cancer depends on a number of factors. These are

• How quickly the cancer is growing?
• The number, size, and location of the tumors.
• Whether the cancer has spread to other organs?
• The patient's age and general health.

Stages Of Bladder Cancer

• Stage 0: The cancer is in the lining of the bladder only and has not spread.
• Stage 1: The cancer goes through the bladder lining, but does not reach the bladder muscle.
• Stage 2: The cancer spreads to the bladder muscle
• Stage 3: The cancer spreads past the bladder into the fatty tissue surrounding it
• Stage 4: The cancer has spread to nearby structures such as the prostate gland, uterus, vagina, rectum, abdominal wall, or pelvic wall