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Bladder Cancer
 
Bladder cancer is abnormal growth of the cells that line the inside of the bladder. The growth is called a bladder tumor.

A tumor may be either invasive or noninvasive. A noninvasive tumor is usually a small, wartlike growth that has not yet grown into the bladder wall. If a tumor is invasive, the cancer cells may spread into the bladder wall and then to other organs through the bloodstream.

Bladder cancer affects men 3 times more often than women. Bladder tumors are most likely to develop in white men over the age of 50.

How does it occur?
In many cases, bladder tumors occur when the cells lining the urinary tract are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in the urine. For example, you may be exposed to such chemicals from:
  • cigarette smoking (the most common cause)
  • the workplace, such as rubber, aniline dye, some textiles, paint, and, rarely, hairdressing supplies
  • overuse of pain medicines that contain phenacetin (these medicines are no longer available in the US).

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of bladder cancer are:
  • blood in the urine
  • pain when you urinate
  • frequent need to urinate
  • trouble starting to urinate
  • lower back pain.

How is it diagnosed?
Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and examine you. A sample of urine will be tested for the presence of blood or infection. Your provider may also look for abnormal cells in the urine.

Your provider may do a cystoscopy. During this test your provider passes a slim, flexible, lighted tube through the urethra and into the bladder to look inside your bladder. The tube is called a cystoscope. During this test your provider may do a biopsy. This involves removing a small piece of bladder lining tissue. The tissue is examined under a microscope to see if it is cancerous.

You may have the following types of x-rays or scans:
  • intravenous pyelogram (an x-ray study of the whole urinary tract using x-rays and a dye injected into a vein in your arm)
  • CT scan of your abdomen.

If cancer is found, you may have more tests to see if cancer cells have spread within the bladder or to other parts of the body. For example, you may have a chest x-ray or a bone scan.

How is it treated?
Treatment of a bladder tumor depends first on whether it is invasive. For an early, noninvasive tumor, your health care provider will try to destroy the tumor by burning it off with a high-frequency electrical current passed through a cystoscope. This process is called fulguration. For small tumors this may be the only treatment that is needed. In another process, chemicals or biologic agents may be put into your bladder to destroy cancer cells.

Large tumors that have invaded the muscle of the bladder wall must be surgically removed through the abdomen. Sometimes all or part of the bladder is removed. This type of surgery is called a cystectomy. It is performed under general anesthesia. The surgery includes attaching the ureters (tubes draining urine from the kidney to the bladder) to a surgically devised reservoir and then to an external opening. A bag is attached to this opening to collect urine. If the whole bladder is removed, the bag, or external bladder, will be permanent. In some cases a new bladder may be made from a piece of intestine.

Other treatments for invasive tumors include radiation therapy or chemotherapy to help destroy cancer cells that have spread beyond the bladder.

How long will the effects last?
As with other forms of cancer, the treatments for bladder cancer that are most successful are those that begin before the disease has spread. This is why it is important to catch the cancer as early as possible. See your health care provider as soon as you detect any symptoms of bladder cancer.

If you have a noninvasive tumor (superficial bladder cancer), your chances of cure are very good. You should, however, have regular cystoscopy exams because small tumors often come back or new ones may develop.

The removal of a large invasive tumor by partial bladder resection reduces the size of the bladder. This means the bladder holds less urine than before the surgery and you will need to urinate more often.

How can I take care of myself?
  • Follow your health care provider's instructions and take the full course of your prescribed medicines.
  • If your entire bladder is removed, keep the external opening clean to prevent infection. To prevent kidney problems, empty the external bladder bag before it gets too full.
  • Early in your treatment, consider talking with a counselor about the changes in your body and your body image. Some people become depressed over these changes. Talking with someone early can help you avoid more involved problems later.
  • Maintain a positive outlook. If necessary, make lifestyle changes that include a healthy diet, lots of liquids, regular exercise and rest, reduction of stress, and time for activities that you enjoy.

How can I help prevent bladder cancer?
  • If you smoke, stop smoking.
  • Use protective measures when you are likely to be exposed to industrial chemicals.




Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File CNC3501F.HTM Release 9.0/2006. Copyright © 2006 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subdiaries. All Rights Reserved.


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