Bladder cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in your bladder lining that develop into a mass of tissue called a tumour. Sometimes the tumour spreads into the bladder muscle. Over time, bladder cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Bladder cancer is caused by certain changes in the DNA inside normal bladder cells that make them grow abnormally and form cancers. It is not known why this happens but there are some factors that make a person more at risk of developing bladder cancer.
Most bladder cancers appear to be caused by exposure to harmful substances that lead to abnormal changes in bladder cells over time. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer as tobacco contains cancer-causing chemicals. Exposure to certain chemicals at work is the second biggest risk factor. These substances are now banned or limited in exposure.
Other risk factors of bladder cancer include radiotherapy, chemotherapy medications, certain treatments for type 2 diabetes, having a tube in your bladder for a long time due to paralysis, ongoing and repeated urinary tract infections (UTIs), and long-term bladder stones.
Your bladder is a muscular organ in the pelvic area that stores urine. The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in your urine. You may see streaks of blood in your urine or the blood may turn your urine brown. This may come and go.
Other less common symptoms of bladder cancer include:
Advanced bladder cancer may have symptoms of pelvic and bone pain, unintentional weight loss and leg swelling.
Bladder cancer can be classified by how likely it is to spread (grading) and how far it has spread (staging). These classifications can help doctors to guide how fast bladder cancer will spread, your outlook, and the best treatment.
A grading number system from G1 to G3 is usually used as a guide to how your cancer may behave.
Bladder cancer cells are divided into three grades:
If the cancerous cells are only inside your bladder lining, they are called non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or early bladder cancer. This is the most common type of bladder cancer.
When the cancerous cells spread past your bladder lining and into the surrounding bladder muscle, they are called muscle-invasive bladder cancer or invasive bladder cancer. Although less common, this has a higher chance of spreading to other parts of your body.
Bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of your body is known as advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.
The most widely used staging system for bladder cancer is known as the TNM system:
You should see your GP if you have bladder cancer symptoms. Your GP may ask about your symptoms, family history, risk factors, request a urine sample, carry out a physical examination and /or refer you to a specialist or a hospital for further tests.
The following tests may be used to diagnose and learn more about bladder cancer:
Treatment depends on the type, stage, grade and size of your bladder cancer, and your general health.
Treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer depends on the risk of cancer returning or spreading beyond the lining of your bladder. It may include:
Treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer depends on how far cancer has spread. It may include:
Treatment for advanced bladder cancer depends on how far cancer has spread. It may include:
If cancer is advanced and cannot be cured, your healthcare team will discuss the cancer progression and treatments to ease your symptoms.
Bladder cancer can usually be effectively treated if it is found early.
A patient’s prognosis depends on:
Bladder cancer is cancer that starts in your bladder. It happens when healthy cells in your bladder lining change and grow out of control to form a mass called a tumour.
Ramsay Health Care UK offers you rapid and convenient appointments to expert bladder cancer specialists and a comprehensive range of diagnostic tests to investigate if you have bladder cancer with a fast turnaround for results to put your mind at rest or arrange your treatment as soon as possible.
Being diagnosed with bladder cancer can be distressing for you and your family. We provide on-site and virtual support by an expert multi-disciplinary team of specialists. Find out more about cancer support and aftercare at Ramsay Health Care here.
Patient safety is our primary concern throughout your visits to our hospitals and you can rest-assured that we are delivering the best care whilst adhering to strict protocols to prevent the risk of infection.
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