Bladder cancer
What is bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer is a relatively common type of cancer, which involves the growth of abnormal tissue (a tumour) in the bladder tissue. Bladder cancer is often described by how far it has moved into the bladder wall. It can either be non-invasive or invasive.
Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is the most common type, in which the cancerous cells are contained within the tissue that lines the bladder. Fatalities from this kind of bladder cancer are uncommon.
Muscle invasive bladder cancer – cancerous cells spread beyond the lining of the bladder and into the bladder muscle that surrounds it. This type is common but more serious, as it increases the chance that the cancer will spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).
Types of bladder cancer
Some rarer types of bladder cancer are squamous cell bladder cancer, adenocarcinoma, sarcoma and small cell bladder cancer.
What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer can cause the following symptoms:
Blood in the urine (haematuria) – the most common symptom
Frequent urination
Sudden urge to urinate
Burning sensation when urinating
In some more advanced cancers, the patient may also experience:
Back pain
Pelvic pain
Unintentional weight loss
Swelling in the legs
![treatment4](https://myurologyspecialist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/treatment4.jpg)
X-ray
CT Scan
MRI
Ultrasound
Additionally, a cystoscopy, a procedure which looks inside the bladder by inserting a thin tube with a camera and a light called a cystoscope through the urethra, may also be performed. Alternatively, a blue light cystoscopy may be carried out, in which special drugs may be inserted which cancer cells absorb, then glow when the camera is inserted. The blue light may be able to detect cells that the normal light cannot.
The most comprehensive test for suspect bladder cancer is a bladder biopsy, in which a cystoscope takes a very small piece of the bladder, referred to as a sample. In some cases, more than one sample is taken. Additionally, salt water washings from the inside of the bladder may be collected in order to check for cancer cells. All samples will be sent a lab to be tested for cancer.
Physical exams are also sometimes performed, where the doctor checks for signs of bladder cancer and other health problems. This may involve a rectal exam or a pelvic exam. Urine tests may also be carried out which look for blood, cancer cells or proteins called tumour markers in the urine. Bone tests also assess if cancer has spread to the bones.
Causes of bladder cancer
Smoking
The leading factor seems to be tobacco, which contains carcinogenic chemicals
Exposure to chemicals
Certain industrial chemicals, such as aniline dyes and xenylamine are known to increase the risk of bladder cancer
Past radiation exposure
This includes radiotherapy used to treat previous cancer, such as in the bowel
Having been previously treated with anti-cancer drugs, including Cyclophosphamide or Ifosfamide
Long-term or repeated irritation, or urinary tract infections, such as cystitis – some UTIs are linked to long term use of urinary catheters
Risk factors for bladder cancer
Alongside the factors listed above, risk factors for bladder cancer include the following:
Being over the age of 55
A family history of bladder cancer
Having particular changes in the genes that are linked to bladder cancer
Drinking water from a well containing high levels of arsenic
Drinking water which has been treated with chlorine
Are all bladder tumours cancerous?
How serious is my cancer?
Invasiveness
Tests can indicate the depth of which cancer has developed into the bladder wall. As mentioned above, if it remains within the inner walls of the bladder, without growing into the outer layers, it is non-invasive. If it grows into the outer layers of the bladder, it is invasive. Invasive cancers spread more easily and are often more difficult to treat.
Grade
Stage
Cancer can be stage 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, like stage 4, signifies that a more serious cancer that has spread from where it began.