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bladder cancer: Frequently Asked Questions

What is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the bladder start to grow out of control. Most bladder cancers develop on the inner layer of the bladder. Some can grow into the deeper bladder layers. As cancer grows through these layers into the wall of the bladder, it becomes harder to treat. The lining of the bladder, where tumors initiate, is also found in the inner layers of the kidneys, ureters and urethra. So, similar cancers can occur in these areas, though much less frequently.
Source: www.bcan.org
The cells lining the bladder and urinary tracts can begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner resulting in the disease know as bladder cancer. Transitional cells line the bladder proper and are so named because they transition from square when the bladder is empty to flat when the bladder is full. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most frequently occurring malignancy of the urinary tract in dogs. The incidence increases with the dog's age. ...
Bladder cancer begins in the bladder, the organ that stores urine. The wall of the bladder has several layers, and cancer may appear on the surface layer, penetrate into the muscle layers, or even invade the surrounding organs. The three most common types of tumors that can develop in bladder are: Over 90% of bladder cancers are Transitional Cell Carcinomas (TCC), so called because these cells have the capability to undergo changes in size from cubical (when the bladder is empty) to flat (when the bladder is full). ...
Cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in the body. These extra cells grow together and form masses, called tumors. In bladder cancer, these growths happen in the bladder. The bladder is the part of your urinary tract that stores your urine until you are ready to let it out. See a picture of the female urinary system or male urinary system . Bladder cancer can usually be cured if it is found and treated early. And most bladder cancer is found early.
Bladder cancer is the rapid growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the bladder. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States. 1 One or more bladder cancers may develop at the same time in different parts of the bladder. Bladder cancer is usually curable if it is diagnosed while the cancer is still contained in the bladder. More than 80% of bladder cancers are diagnosed at this early stage. 2 , 3 The bladder is the part of your urinary tract that stores urine. ...

HOW COMMON IS BLADDER CANCER?

Although the incidence of bladder cancer is low, there has been a significant increase in the disease over the last ten years.
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men and the eighth most common among women. Approximately 60,000 new cases are diagnosed in the US each year. This adds to the 600,000 bladder cancer patients who require lifelong monitoring. Why is it important for bladder cancer
Cancer of the bladder is the fourth most common cancer among men and the ninth most common cancer among women. About 38,500 men and13,000 women will develop the disease each year.
Bladder cancer is more common than people realise. Over 10,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the Indian sub-continent. The majority of these (about 7,500) are diagnosed in men, meaning that, on average, one man in thirty will get bladder cancer at some time in his life. The bladder cancer is really dangerous with Hb levels falling down due to increased blood loss through the urine. This rate however has gone low as per the medicinal advances. ...

What treatments are available for bladder cancer?

The treatment of bladder cancer depends on what type of cancer exists and in what stage it exists. Superficial bladder cancer can be treated by lasering in the office, resection in an outpatient facility or intra-bladder chemotherapy with a variety of three or four different substances. ...

What are the different types of bladder cancer?

The vast majority (~90%) of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer have transitional cell cancer, also referred to as urothelial carcinoma . Another 10% of bladder cancer patients have other types including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or small cell cancer .
Source: www.bcan.org

How often does bladder cancer recur?

The common papillary form of bladder cancer (Ta and T1) recurs in approximately 60% of patients. Multiple recurrences may occur over the years in the same patients.
The common papillary form of bladder cancer (Ta and T1) recurs in approximately 60% of patients. Multiple recurrences may occur over the years in the same patients. Top of page Useful links* American Urological Association ( www.auanet.org ) Canadian Urological Association ( www.cua.org ) * DiagnoCure is not responsible for content on external websites. Top of page [1] Detection of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma with ImmunoCyt: a preliminary report. ...

Is chemotherapy used of Bladder Cancer?

Chemotherapy also may be used to help control the disease when cancer cells have deeply invaded the bladder or spread to lymph nodes or other organs. In this case, the anticancer drugs are usually given by injection into a vein (IV); some may be given by mouth. This form of chemotherapy is systemic therapy, meaning that the drugs flow through the bloodstream to nearly every part of the body. The drugs are usually given in cycles: a treatment period followed by a recovery period, then another treatment period, and so on. ...

How is Bladder Cancer treated?

Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of the disease (particularly if, or how deeply, the cancer has invaded the bladder wall), the grade of the cancer, the patient's general health, and other factors. People with bladder cancer are often treated by a team of specialists, which may include a urologist, oncologist, and radiation oncologist. The doctors develop a treatment plan to fit each patient's needs. ...

What are the survival rates for bladder cancer?

The outlook for patients for early-stage bladder cancer that has not invaded the bladder wall is very good. About 90 percent of those patients live for five or more years with localized diagnosis and treatment. For patients whose cancer has spread to areas near the bladder, the five-year survival rate is 45 percent. For those with advanced disease that has spread far from the bladder, the five-year survival rate is 10 percent.

Who is at-risk of developing bladder cancer?

Smokers are three times as likely to develop bladder cancer as nonsmokers. This link between smoking and bladder cancer is especially strong among men. Bladder cancer is more common in highly industrialized areas and among workers exposed to certain chemicals. Certain aniline derivatives, benzidine, 2-napthylamine, and other chemicals used in dye manufacturing increase the risk to workers involved in the process. Painters and workers in the rubber, metal, textile, and leather industries are also at high risk. ...

What is the cure rate for bladder cancer?

If detected and treated early, bladder cancer is almost always cured (the five-year survival rate of early bladder cancer is 90 percent). Unfortunately, less than one in 10 patients with metastatic bladder cancer survive five or more years. (Metastatic means the cancer has spread to other areas, such as lymph nodes, bones, lung or other part of the body. ) Each year about 6000 men and 3000 women will die of the disease. ...

What are the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer?

Blood in the urine is usually the first sign of bladder cancer. Many times, blood in the urine cannot be noticed by the individual but is found by urinalysis done as part of a regular checkup or treatment for another medical condition. If blood can be seen in the urine, it may change the color of the urine from yellow to smoky to rusty to bright red. The blood may disappear for days or even weeks, only to reappear. Blood in the urine can be caused by a number of medical problems besides cancer. ...

What are the radiation options for bladder cancer?

The aim of radiation therapy is to destroy cancer cells by injuring their ability to divide while causing the least amount of damage to other cells. Radiation may be used to help shrink bladder tumors before removal, to destroy any cancer cells remaining after surgery, and to relieve pain for patients not healthy enough to have surgery. It may also be used as the only treatment for patients not able to endure cystectomy and chemotherapy. ...

Who is at-risk to get bladder cancer?

Cancer of the bladder may occur at any age, but it usually strikes those over 50 years old.

How does bladder cancer grow?

The bladder is lined by special cells, called transitional cells. These cells are unique in that they have the ability to expand and deflate, which makes sense as the bladder fills and empties of urine. Almost all bladder cancers arise in this lining layer. In time these cancers can grow and spread into the underlying bladder muscle. Cancers originating in the bladder muscle are very rare. Urine is made up of water and wastes removed from the blood. Urine is created by filtering the blood in the kidneys. ...

How is the seriousness of bladder cancer determined?

Stage refers to how far a cancer has progressed anatomically, while the grade refers to the aggressiveness of the cancer and is defined by cell appearance (differentiation) and the make-up of their nucleus. Stage is determined by the depth to which the tumor has penetrated the bladder wall, and assessment of the invasion of lymph nodes and other surrounding organs or tissues. ...

What will happen after treatment for bladder cancer?

Follow-up care: An important part of any treatment plan is a schedule of follow-up exams. Exams that could include urinary cytology, ImmunoCyt™/uCyt+™, and cystoscopy among others are necessary to see if cancer has come back, or if there is a new cancer.

What are the most common symptoms for bladder cancer?

Many early stage bladder cancer patients do not show any symptoms. The most common clinical presentation is blood in the urine or hematuria. Usually this is painless and the blood may be visible to the naked eye (gross hematuria) or can be seen only under the microscope (microscopic hematuria). Frequently the diagnosis of bladder cancer is delayed because bleeding is intermittent or attributed to other causes such as urinary tract infection or the intake of anticoagulants (drugs that block blood coagulation). ...

Is drinking coffee associated with the development of bladder cancer?

In 1990, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated coffee, caffeine, tea and maté and, after assessing the available research, gave coffee the classification 2B which is ‘possibly carcinogenic to the human urinary bladder’. Since that time several well-conducted studies have been conducted and published which have demonstrated that coffee is not a causal factor in the development of bladder cancer.

What are the types of bladder cancer tumors that may form?

Three types of bladder cancer may form, and each type of tumor can be present in one or more areas of the bladder, and more than one type can be present at the same time:
Source: www.bcan.org

Is smoking linked to bladder cancer?

Smokers are two to five times more likely to get bladder cancer than normal,says Dr. Hari krishna (cancer specialist). The more they smoke, or the longer they smoke, the higher the risk. It is estimated that half of all bladder cancers in men, and one third in women, are the result of smoking. The most common symptom is blood in the urine, although there are many other conditions (such as bladder infections) which can cause this. ...

What are the risk factors for getting bladder cancer?

Although the exact steps that lead to bladder cancer are not clear, there are some known risk factors. Here are the most important risk factors for bladder cancer: Smoking: Smokers are more than twice as likely to get bladder cancer as those who do not. Chemicals: Working in the dye, rubber, leather, textile, paint or print industries, or working with organic chemicals or chemicals called aromatic amines, increases a person’s chances of developing cancer if appropriate safety measures are not followed. ...

How many people suffer from bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is the most common tumor of the urinary system and the fifth most common cancer in North America. It is estimated that 75,000 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in 2008, and that 16,000 individuals will die from it. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 330,000 new cases annually worldwide. Bladder cancer prevalence is steadily increasing and its projected rise is 28% by 2010 for both men and women.
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