Bladder cancer starts in the cells of the bladder. The bladder is an integral part of the urinary system – it is a hollow organ in the pelvis which stores urine before it is eliminated from the body. Nearly all of these cancers start in the lining of the bladder, and are called urothelial carcinomas. These are often diagnosed at an early stage, before they have grown into the muscle wall of the bladder and become invasive.
Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms usually appear as the tumor gets bigger, rather than in its early stages.
-Orange, pink, or red urine (sometimes unnoticeable amounts of blood)
-More frequent and more urgent urination
-Burning or pain during urination
-Having difficulty urinating
-Low back, pelvic, or abdominal pain
-Weight loss
-Swelling in the feet
Check out the Canadian Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, or Cleveland Clinic for more information.
Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
-Smoking tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, pipes…)
-Arsenic (a substance found in nature, such as rocks and soil)
-Contact with chemicals at work (related to rubber, paint, metal, etc.)
-Aristolochic acids (naturally found in plants)
-Opium
-Previous chemotherapy or radiation therapy
-Chronic bladder irritation
-Bladder birth defects
-Lynch syndrome (Type B)
Check out the Canadian Cancer Society, Cleveland Clinic, or NHS for more information.
Bladder Cancer Diagnosis
-Health history (record of past symptoms, risks, and medical events and problems)
-Pelvic exam or digital rectal exam
-Urinalysis, urine culture, or urine cytology
-Cystoscopy (examination inside the bladder)
-Biopsy (removing a sample tissue)
-Complete blood count (CBC)
-Blood chemistry tests
-Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
-Ultrasound
Additional tests to determine the stage of cancer:
-CT scan
-MRI
-Chest x-ray
-Bone scan
Check out the Canadian Cancer Society, Cleveland Clinic, or the Mayo Clinic for more information.
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Treatments depend on whether the cancer is non-muscle-invasive, muscle-invasive, at an early stage, or not. They include the following:
-Surgery
-TURBT (Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumour)
-Cystectomy
-Pelvic lymph node dissection
-Urinary diversion
-Immunotherapy
-Chemotherapy
-Radiation therapy
-Targeted therapy
Check out the Canadian Cancer Society, Mayo Clinic, Hopkins Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, or Macmillan for more information.
Bladder Cancer Stories
Beth's story: 22 years with bladder cancer
Katrina Williams: 19 Years and Counting
Keith Fox's story: How I Coped with My Emotions During Bladder Cancer
Michele's Story: Bladder Cancer Survivor
Randy Layne: Facing Bladder Cancer Together
Susan Corcoran: Clinical Trial Uses Patient's Own Immune System to Fight Bladder Cancer
Bladder Cancer Resources
BCAN's Patient Handbook: Bladder Cancer Basics (PDF)
Blind to Bladder Cancer? It's a Woman Thing (Article)
Bladder Cancer WebCafe (Website)
Bladder Cancer: The Basics (YouTube)
Bladder Cancer: Overview (YouTube)
Bladder Cancer Patient Guide (PDF)
Can Bladder Cancer Be Prevented? (Article)
Diet and Nutrition for Bladder Cancer (Article)
Mayo Clinic Explains Bladder Cancer (YouTube)
Overactive Bladder Patient Guide (PDF)
What are the Signs of Bladder Cancer? (YouTube)
Government of Canada - Bladder Cancer in Canada
Canadian Bladder Cancer Groups
Bladder Cancer Canada
"Bladder Cancer Canada is the first and only Canadian patient advocacy organization dedicated to bladder cancer issues." Founded in 2009 to help with the lack of resources and support for bladder cancer patients, "BCC is a national, registered charitable non-profit corporation that has helped untold numbers of bladder cancer patients and their caregivers to cope with this disease."
Visit them at http://www.bladdercancercanada.org/en/