The bladder is a hollow organ that holds and releases urine (waste liquid created by the kidneys).
Treating bladder cancer before it spreads has the best outcomes.
This article will provide an overview of bladder cancer and explain what you should know about its risks.
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At this point, theyre called carcinoma in situ or stage 0 cancer.
When these cancers grow, they can spread into other bladder layers.
They may also be classified as superficial bladder cancer, invasive bladder cancer, or non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
As they spread farther, these cancers grow into the bladder muscles.
These spreading cancers are called muscle-invasive bladder cancers.
Bladder cancers that have spread into the muscles are more likely to spread farther and are harder to treat.
These cells make up the inside of the bladder, which is in contact with urine.
These cells can also develop cancers in these different areas of the urinary tract.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
A very small number of bladder cancers develop fromsquamouscells.
These cells look flat and are often found on the surface of the skin or other organs.
They’re also found in the innermost layer of the bladder.
When they become cancerous, theyre called squamous cell carcinoma.
Up to 2% of bladder cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinomacancers form in the glands of the bladder or urinary tract.
These make up only 1% of bladder cancers.
Thats 4.2% of all cancer cases.
About 2.3% of people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer during their lifetime.
Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States.
The rate of new cases has been steadily dropping since the early 2000s.
New cases of bladder cancer have been falling 1.3% annually between 2010 and 2019.
Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Bladder cancer can be found early but does not always show symptoms.
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, calledhematuria.
The urine may look pink, orange, or dark red.
See a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms.
What Causes Bladder Cancer?
Factors like radiation and light, cancer-causing chemicals, or infections can cause these genetic changes.
Experts dont know what causes most cases of bladder cancer.
Some cases ofbladder cancer may be hereditaryand brought on by inherited gene mutations, but these are rare.
How Does Bladder Cancer Spread?
How Is Bladder Cancer Diagnosed?
The higher the stage number, the more serious the diagnosis and the worse the prognosis.
Bladder cancers are typically grouped as either low-grade or high-grade cancers.
Low-grade cancers are also called well-differentiated cancers.
They look pretty standard under the microscope.
Low-grade cancers are slower growing, less likely to spread, and have a better prognosis than high-grade cancers.
High-grade cancers are called poorly differentiated or undifferentiated.
They look less regular and more wild.
They are harder to treat and have a worse prognosis, also.
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Bladder cancer treatmenttypically involves surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.
The best course of action will depend on your cancer stage, overall health, andtreatmentgoals.
Surgery
One of the main approaches to treating bladder cancer is surgery.
Surgery involves an operation to cut out cancer.
Procedures may include:
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapyis medicine that kills fast-growing cells.
Chemotherapy kills these cells or stops them from dividing.
It may be used alone or with other treatments.
It may be given before or after surgery.
Since the bladder is a hollow organ, a throw in of treatment calledintravesicalchemotherapy can be used.
This reduces the side effects.
This approach may be used after surgery.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapiesuse your body’s natural defenses against cancer.
Several monoclonal antibody treatments are used for bladder cancer that activates the immune system.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)treatment is a unique immunotherapy for bladder cancer.
Liquid containing a species of weakenedMycobacteriumbacteria is introduced to the bladder via a thin tube (catheter).
BCG bacteria are also used in a tuberculosis vaccine.
The treatment stimulates the body’s defenses and helps it fight cancer.
Anktiva is FDA-approved for the treatment of adults with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with carcinoma in situ (CIS).
Radiation Therapy
Radiation uses high-energy beams to break down cancer cells.
It may be used alone or with other treatments.
It may be given before or after surgery.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapies may be used to treat bladder cancer that has come back after treatment.
Based on their cancer’s molecular characteristics, these therapies help the body attack cancer cells.
It may require biomarker testing to determine if targeted therapy is an option for your bladder cancer.
Is Bladder Cancer Curable?
Some early-stage bladder cancers that are superficial and non-muscle-invasive can be cured with surgery and other treatments.
Sometimes, even bladder cancers that have invaded the muscle can be cured.
Can You Prevent Bladder Cancer?
It is not possible to prevent bladder cancer completely.
You cant control your genetic predisposition to cancer, age, race, or family history.
But you’re able to do some things to reduce your risk of developing it.
They include not smoking and avoiding chemicals in the workplace.
Youll also want to drink plenty of fluids and eat many fruits and vegetables.
Thats 2.8% of all cancer deaths.
Bladder cancer death rates have fallen around 1.1% annually between 2011 and 2020.
The earlier a cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat and the better a persons outlook.
Statistics do not represent individual cases, and treatments for bladder cancer are constantly improving.
Talk with a healthcare provider about your individual prognosis and treatment options.
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