Bladder Cancer: Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatments

Bladder cancer is the tenth most common type of cancer worldwide. In 2020, more than 570,000 people were diagnosed with it and more than 210,000 people lost their lives to the disease. It occurs more frequently in men than it does in women, and is much more common in older adults.

As with all forms of cancer, catching bladder cancer early increases the chances of successful treatment. Search online for more information and read on to learn about the symptoms, risk factors and common treatment options.

What Is Bladder Cancer?

The bladder is a stretchy, sack-like organ in the lower pelvis which stores urine from the kidneys. Cancer of the bladder occurs if cells in the lining of the bladder grow out of control due to damage or mutation. The main types of bladder cancer are:

• Urothelial carcinoma: By far the most common form of bladder cancer, which begins in the urothelial cells
• Squamous cell carcinoma: Responsible for 1 to 2% of cases
• Adenocarcinoma: Responsible for up to 1% of cases
• Small cell carcinoma: Responsible for less than 1% of cases
• Sarcoma: Extremely rare, responsible for less than 0.5% of cases

Risk Factors

The precise cause of bladder cancer is currently unknown, though major risk factors associated with the disease have been identified and include:

• A family history of bladder cancer
• Having the inherited Rb1 gene
• Having Cowden syndrome
• Smoking
• Exposure to workplace chemicals (i.e. certain dyes used for leather, textiles and printing)
• Exposure to arsenic
• Insufficient water consumption
• A history of chronic urinary tract infections

Additionally, Caucasian people are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer compared to African Americans. It is also fairly uncommon in people of Asian, Hispanic and Native American descent.

Signs and Symptoms

Bladder cancer may present if you’re experiencing the following symptoms:

• Blood in the urine
• Pain or a burning sensation whilst urinating
• The need to urinate frequently
• Not being able to urinate fully despite feeling the need to
• Lower back pain

Note that all of these bladder cancer symptoms can also be caused by urinary tract infections and other less serious conditions.

Diagnosing Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is usually picked up as a result of urine lab tests, often done after routine tests are done. Diagnostic tests include:

• Urinalysis – Checking for blood in the urine
• Urine cytology- Checking for pre-cancerous cells under a microscope
• Urine culture – Used to rule out infections
• Tumor marker tests – Checking for other biological markers that indicate cancer

Your doctor may recommend a cystoscopy to confirm the presence of a tumor in the bladder. This test involves a thin camera being inserted into the urinary tract. If tumors are present, the same tool can be used to take a sample for biopsy.

Treatment Options

Bladder cancer treatment is decided based on the health and age of the patient, in conjunction with the severity of the cancer. Depending on the stage, doctors may recommend a combination of the following:

• Observation (only suitable for stage 0 cancers)
• Surgery to remove tumors
• Partial or complete bladder removal
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Immunotherapy

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms discussed here and are worried about bladder cancer, it is best to get checked out by your general doctor as soon as possible. While there’s no need to panic, being vigilant about your health is always a good thing.