Quick Facts: Bladder Cancer

What is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer starts in the bladder, which is a balloon-like sac in the body that stores urine until you urinate. There are three types of bladder cancer. 90% of cases are transitional cell carcinomas (TCC). The inner lining of the bladder is made up of transitional cells. TCC starts here. For many people, TCC remains for a long time in this inner lining. It can also spread to other parts of the body (metastasize), making it hard to treat. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are rarer types of bladder cancer. They almost always involve deeper layers of the bladder than TCC.

Who gets bladder cancer?

Risk factors increase your risk of getting the disease. The biggest risk factors for bladder cancer are:

• Gender: More men than women get bladder cancer.
  
• Race/Ethnicity: Caucasians are more likely to get bladder cancer than African-Americans.
  
• Smoking
  
• Working with toxic chemicals without adequate safety practices. This is an occupational hazard.
  
• Long-lasting bladder problems
  
• Family history of bladder cancer
  
• Personal history of previous bladder cancer

Prevention

Certain lifestyle and dietary habits can greatly reduce your risk of developing bladder cancer (as well as other cancers). Some of these include:

• Not smoking
  
• Regular exercise
  
• Moderate, if any, alcohol consumption
  
• Low fat, high fiber diet
  
• Firemen and Truck Drivers
  

Symptoms

Symptoms from the early stages of bladder cancer are:

• Blood in urine (rusty or red color)
  
• Pain when urinating
  
• A change in bladder habits (frequent need to urinate or delay when trying to urinate)
  

Experiencing these symptoms doesn't always mean you have bladder cancer. Report them to your doctor to determine the cause.

How do i know if i have it?

Doctors use several tests to diagnose bladder cancer:

• Urine Cultures tests urine samples for sign of infection.
  
• Urine Cytology tests urine or cells for signs of cancer.
  
• Flow Cytometry tests urine samples, bladder washings or tissue samples to measure the amount of DNA present.
  
• Bladder tumor marker studies test urine for “markers” associated with cancer.
  
• Cytoscopy: The doctor inserts a slender tube with a lens & light into the bladder. If (anything looks unusual, it can be removed with a biopsy.
  
• Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP): Special dye injected into the blood stream to help X-rays take better pictures of bladder & urinary tract.
  
• CT, MRI, & other imaging studies determine how deep it goes if it has spread.
  

What if I am diagnosed

If diagnosed early, bladder cancer is easily treated. Typically, it is treated with one or more of the following treatments. Ask your doctor about the best treatment option(s) for you & common side effects.

• Immunotherapy: Strengthens your natural ability to fight cancer. A liquid placed in the bladder & removed by urination.
  
• Surgery: Removal of cancerous tumors. For a transurethral resection (TUR), a slender tube is inserted into the bladder through the urethra. Cancer cells are removed using a wire at the end of the tube or burned off using electric current. In cystectomy, an incision is made in the abdomen to remove part or all of the bladder. This surgery is often done when the cancer has spread to deep layers of bladder tissue. Surgery is often followed by radiation or chemotherapy.
  
• Chemotherapy: Drugs are injected or given by mouth to kill cancer cells throughout the body.
  
• Radiation: Radiation given by machine or by a device implanted in the cancerous tissue to shrink or kill cancer cells.
  
• Clinical trials: New treatments are always being tested. Contact the RI Cancer Council for more information.
  

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