Current Article

March 2010

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the term used to describe the cancer that begins within the bladder, usually in the cells of the bladder lining. It's more common among older men, and if diagnosed in the early stage, it can be treated easily. This type of cancer tends to recur, so those who have been diagnosed for bladder cancer should be screened on a regular basis.

Types:
Bladder cancer is classified into different types based on the cells that begin to grow abnormally.
Transitional cell carcinoma is one type of bladder cancer that starts in the lining of the bladder. This is the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States.
Squamous cell carcinoma cancer begins in the bladder and it is caused due to infections. This is a dangerous type of cancer and it is rare in the United States and other industrialized nations because usually a parasitic infection is the root cause. Adenocarcinoma starts in the glands of the bladder that secrete mucous. This type of cancer is also rarely seen in the U.S.

Symptoms:
Blood might be visible in the urine, giving it a dark or bright red tint or it might be detectable with a microscope. Frequent and/or painful urination, lower back pain, and stomach pain, particularly in the lower stomach are the common signs of bladder cancer. A urinary tract infection can also be a symptom of bladder cancer, which is one of the reasons that outgrow the cancer.

Causes/Risk Factors:
Most of the common risk factors for cancer are poor diets, smoking, alcohol use, family history of cancer, exposure to carcinogens and chemotherapy or radiation that are used to treat other cancers. But chronic bladder infections and problems, or bladder birth defects, put you more at a higher risk of bladder cancer. Older adults are more likely to develop bladder cancer and especially white men are most likely to develop the disease over other races and women.

Tests/Diagnosis:
The urine can be tested for cancer cells if bladder cancer is suspected. A cystoscope can be inserted into the urethra so the doctor can examine the inside of the bladder, and in a similar procedure cells can be removed and tested for cancer. Some imaging tests can also let the doctor diagnose abnormalities in the bladder or the urinary tract. The biopsy tests can also help detect bladder cancer. In this test, tiny samples of your bladder wall are removed and these samples are examined by a physician who specializes in diagnosing diseases by looking at tissues and cells (a pathologist).

Treatment:
With surgery, you can remove the tumor completely if diagnosed early. Chemotherapy and radiation are also effective treatments for bladder cancer. Invasive bladder cancer, the cancer that invades the bladder wall, is usually treated with radiation and chemotherapy. In some cases, the entire bladder may need to be removed and surgery to create a new method for you to expel urine might be necessary.