Bladder Cancer

While bladder cancer is a cancer not talked about as much as others, the chance men will develop it during their life is about 1 in 27. It’s important to recognize the signs of bladder cancer so it can be treated early, as muscle-invasive bladder cancer needs aggressive treatment.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers, affecting approximately 68,000 adults in the United States each year. Bladder cancer occurs in men more frequently than it does in women and usually affects older adults, though it can happen at any age.

Bladder cancer most often begins in the cells (urothelial cells) that line the inside of your bladder — the hollow, muscular organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Although it’s most common in the bladder, this same type of cancer can occur in other parts of the urinary tract drainage system.

About seven out of every 10 bladder cancers diagnosed start out at an early stage — when bladder cancer is highly treatable. However, even early-stage bladder cancer may recur in the bladder. For this reason, people with bladder cancer typically need follow-up tests for years after treatment to look for bladder cancer that recurs or advances to a higher stage.

Symptoms

Bladder cancer signs and symptoms may include:

• Blood in urine (hematuria)
• Painful urination
• Pelvic pain

If you have hematuria, your urine may appear bright red or cola colored. Sometimes, urine may not look any different, but blood in urine may be detected during a microscopic exam of the urine.

People with bladder cancer might also experience:

• Back pain
• Frequent urination

But, these symptoms often occur because of something other than bladder cancer.

When to see a doctor

If you have blood in your urine (hematuria), make an appointment with your doctor to get it checked out. Also make an appointment with your doctor if you have other signs or symptoms that worry you.