Bladder cancer occurs when there is an abnormal growth of tissue lining the bladder. In the UK over 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, making it the 10th most common cancer in the UK. The average age of patients affected is 73, with 9 out of 10 patients being over the age of 55. However, it can occur in younger people. Bladder cancer is more common in men than women, but women tend to present with more advanced disease.
Bladder cancer can be put into two different categories:
Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer – this is the most common type and easier to treat. It is confined to the superficial layers of the bladder.
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer – this is less common, occurring when the cancer spreads to the muscle wall of the bladder. This form of cancer can spread more easily and requires more radical treatment.
All muscle-invasive cancers will start as non-invasive cancers but take some time to develop.
The exact cause is unknown; however, it is thought to be linked to exposure to harmful substances for long periods of time e.g. smoking tobacco and industrial chemicals.
Symptoms
Visible blood in urine is one of the most common signs that someone has cancer of the bladder. The medical name for this condition is haematuria. Haematuria can present in different ways; the urine may have a brown colour to it or there may be noticeable streaks of blood in the urine.
Other associated symptoms include:
• Sudden urges to urinate
• Needing to pass urine more often
• Discomfort while urinating
• Recurrent urine infections or cystitis
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is a good idea to see a specialist. In all cases we will ask for a list of symptoms, general health questions, exposures to toxins and family history. A physical examination is always needed, followed by tests. These include urine and blood tests, CT scan and a bladder examination with a small telescope through the water passage (flexible cystoscopy). If a tumour is found, you will likely need treatment to remove it via another telescope test under a general anaesthetic.
On most occasions medicine is put into the bladder after this to try and stop the cancer from coming back. If you have muscle-invasive cancer, then treatment such as bladder removal or radiotherapy will be needed. Most types of bladder cancer require long periods of surveillance after initial treatment, to ensure all stays well.
As dealing with invasive bladder cancer is not a small treatment, it’s best to find cancer early. Hence if you have symptoms see a specialist.
If you are worried, contact our expert team at Urology Clinics.
Find out more at urologyclinics.co.uk
Contact Urology Clinics Manchester
This article is intended to inform and give insight but not treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a doctor. Always seek medical advice with any questions regarding a medical condition.
