Bladder Cancer

What is bladder cancer?

The bladder is a hollow organ where the urine is stored. It is located in the pelvis. It is part of the urinary tract system. The urine passed from the kidney to the bladder through the ureter. The urine leaves the bladder through the tube called urethra.

 The four main layers for the bladder are the following

• Urothelium: the inner lining of the bladder
• Lamina Propria: a thin layer of connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves
• Muscularis Propria: Thick layer muscle 
• The layer of fatty connective tissue: Outside of the muscle that separates the bladder from other organs nearby

Bladder cancer usually starts in the urothelium and spread to the other layers of the bladder. 

Bladder cancer can be described as

• Non-invasive: cancer cell is still in the lining of the bladder and has not spread yet into the other layer.
• Invasive: cancer cells have grown into the lamina propria or even deeper into the muscle layer.
• Metastatic: from the main tumor, the cancer cell cells have spread to other parts of the body

There are different types of bladder cancer 

• Urothelial carcinoma, the most common type of bladder cancer, starts in the thin layer of the urothelium.
• Squamous cell carcinoma, nearly 1% to 2% of bladder cancers and mostly invasive.
• Adenocarcinoma, nearly 1% of bladder cancers and mostly invasive
• Small cell carcinoma, starts in the nerve-like cells of the bladder and grows quickly.
• Sarcoma, very rare type of bladder cancer that starts in the muscle cells of the bladder.

What are the causes of bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer’s main cause is smoking. When a person smokes, the more likely to get bladder cancer is higher than a non-smoker. Other causes of bladder cancer are chemicals, genetics, arsenic poisoning, and life-long bladder infection. Also, bladder cancer is more common in people aged 55 and above. 

Some people have a higher risk of bladder cancer due to the work they have where they work around chemicals that can cause cancers. People who have a higher risk for developing bladder cancer are those are in the industry of textiles, rubber, dye, and paint. 

What are the symptoms if you have bladder cancer?

The most common symptoms may include the following:

• Blood in the urine
• Trouble to urinate
• Weak flow of urine
• The painful feeling when urinating 
• Frequent urination

What can be done?

 If you have the symptoms, you should consult a doctor right away. You will have a physical examination for the urologist to help diagnose bladder cancer. 

If the diagnosis is confirmed. And if bladder cancer is present, there will be more tests to be done to determine the size of cancer and if it has already spread the area. 

There are many ways to treat bladder cancer. It is treated through surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. 

Desert Sky Urology offers exceptional urologic care to both men and women in Chandler, Gilbert, and Phoenix Arizona. For bladder cancer treatment call us today.