Bladder Cancer
What is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer is the balloon-shaped organ in pelvic region that stores urine. Some bladder cancer remains confined to the lining while other may enter other region. Most people who suffer from bladder cancer are older people greater than 50. Smoking is the single risk factor that causes bladder cancer.
What is the Bladder?
The bladder, a part of the urinary, is hallow, muscular or balloon-shaped organ located in the pelvic that normally holds urine until it is released.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer doesn’t give any signs or symptoms. The early sign is usually blood in your urine. Test may reveal blood in the urine else could be colorful discharge of urine. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have bladder cancer and other possible conditions include urinary infection, kidney disease and other prostate problems. If you have following symptoms then the possible test could help in detection of bladder cancer.
- Pelvic pain
- Intense pain during urination
- Frequent urination
Types of Bladder Cancer
There are different types of bladder cancer. Some of the bladder cancer is explained in details as follow:
Transitional Cell Bladder Cancer – It is the cancer of the cells of the bladder lining. These cells are called as ‘transitional cells’. When the bladder is empty they bunched together and when the bladder is full they expand out into single layer. As they line the bladder the cells come in contact with waste products in the urine that may cause cancer.
Superficial Bladder Cancer – It is only in the lining of the bladder and usually appears as grown. The surgeon can remove this quite easily and the possibility that they may never come back. But some superficial bladder cancer is likely to come back.
Invasion Bladder Cancer – Transitional bladder can become invasion. This means that it has grown in the muscle layer of the bladder. Invasion bladder requires more intensive treatment, due to the fact that it can spread to the other parts of the body.
Other types of Bladder cancer include squamous cell bladder cancer.
How is Bladder Cancer treated?
Like any other cancer, bladder cancer can treated very effective and this depends on numerous factors the sex, age and the type and extent of bladder cancer. Below are some of the treatment options:
Surgical – Surgical is the best available option for bladder cancer treatment.
Radiation therapy – This therapy used x-rays to destroy cancer cells. It is most often used after surgical treatment to eliminate the remaining cancer cells. In treating bladder cancer the radiation either comes from outside your body – the external radiation or from radiation place directly into your bladder.
Chemotherapy – This treatment used drugs to destroy cancer cells. This treatment is an option to eliminate the remaining cancerous cells after successful operations. In occasion one or two drugs are used in combination to produce effective results.
Other possible treatment for bladder cancer includes biological therapy.
How is Bladder Cancer Diagnosed?
To help diagnose bladder cancer you may have several options listed as follows:
Urine Test – The sample of urine may be analyzed to check for cancer cells.
Cystoscopy – In this the doctor may insert a narrow tube through your urethra. The Cystoscopy has a lens and fiber-optic light system allowing it to see your urethra and bladder. With this the doctor can take some sample for further test of tissue for analysis.
Other bladder cancer diagnosis includes:
- Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
- Tumor marker test
- Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
Bladder cancer is often staged from 0 to 5. However, the new diagnosed bladder cancers fall in stage from
0 to 1.
Complications of Bladder Cancer
The possible complication of bladder cancer is that it can lead to urinary inconsistence and a blockage of ureters that prevents or stops urine from draining normally into your bladder. And the most serious complication includes the spread of cancer to the other part of the body.
