Bladder Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What is Bladder Cancer?

A cancer type, bladder cancer starts in the bladder. Bladder, positioned in the pelvic area is an organ of a balloon shape that stores the urine. This type of cancer starts in the cells mostly that tend to line inside of a bladder. The disease can occur regardless of any age; however it normally affects the older adults.

Mostly, diagnosis of numerous bladder cancers is done at an initial stage, a time when it is greatly treatable. Though, they can also recur.

What are the Symptoms of Bladder Cancer?

The prominent symptoms of bladder cancer include:
• Hematuria (blood in your urine)
• Pelvic pain.
• Back pain.
• Painful urination.
• Frequent urination.

When is the high time to see a doctor?

In case you notice blood in your urine, it is high time you must call your doctor for an appointment.

What are Causes of Bladder Cancer?

The causes of bladder cancer are yet unknown. However it is linked with parasitic infection, smoking, chemical and radiation exposure. The type of cancer develops at a time when the cells in your bladder start growing abnormally. Normally, they must grow and then divide in a systematic way, on a contrary; these cells tend to develop mutations which make the growing abnormally and surviving. Such abnormal cells gradually form tumor.

What are the types of Bladder Cancer?

Various kinds of cells in a bladder may become cancerous. In addition to this, the kind of such bladder cells determines the bladder cancer type. Type of the bladder cancer determines what treatments are best for the patient. Kinds of bladder cancer are:
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Transitional cell carcinoma.
• Adenocarcinoma.

What are the risk factors?

Certain factors that tend to increase the risk to develop bladder cancer are:
• Increasing age.
• Smoking.
• If you are a man.
• If you are white.
• If you had cancer treatment previously.
• Exposure to particular chemicals.
• Taking particular diabetes medication.
• Family or personal cancer history.
• Chronic bladder inflammation.

Bladder Cancer Diagnosis

Certain procedures and tests can diagnose the disease. They are:
• Imaging tests.
• Urine cytology.
• Biopsy
• Cystoscopy.

After your tests confirm you are suffering from bladder cancer, the doctor can suggest additional tests in order to determine your stage (extent) of cancer. Such staging tests are:
• Bone scan.
• CT scan.
• Chest X-ray.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.

Bladder Cancer Treatment

The treatment options tend to depend on numerous factors such as stage and type of cancer, your preferences of treatment and overall health. Few treatment options of bladder cancer are:

1. SURGICAL PROCEDURES:

• Surgery (early stage): in case the cancer has not yet invaded your bladder wall, then your doctor can suggest
1) surgery for removing tumor or
2) surgery for removing tumor plus a small part of your bladder.
• Surgery (invasive stage): if the cancer has finally invaded your bladder wall’s deeper layers, then you have two options:
1) surgery, in order to remove your entire bladder or
2) surgery, in order to create a different way for the urine to release from your body.
2. CHEMOTHERAPY.
3. RADIATION THERAPY.
4. BIOLOGICAL THERAPY.

 

By : Natural Health News