The Key to Beating Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer.
- 79,000 new cases this year in the U.S.
- 3x more common in men than women
- 90% of those diagnosed are over 55 years old
- 2x more common in Caucasians than African Americans
It's highly treatable in early stages.
| Stage at detection |
|
|
Ta
Grows in the inner layer of the bladder
|
Papillary tumor |
|
Tis
Grows along the lining of the bladder
|
Flat tumor |
|
T1
Limited to bladder lining and connective tissue
|
Bladder lining |
|
T2
In the bladder muscle
|
Bladder muscle |
|
T3
Through the bladder muscle and into the fatty tissue
|
Fatty tissue |
|
T4
Has spread to other organs
|
Peritoneum |
Early detection dramatically increases survival rates.
Watch for symptoms. See your doctor if you have:
- Blood in urine
- Frequent and/or painful urination
- Back and pelvic pain
Ask your doctor about screening if you are high risk:
Treatment is available at any stage.
- Minimally invasive surgery: Removes small tumors from the lining of the bladder, or a small portion of the bladder (partial cystectomy).
- Biological therapy: Applies a biological drug to the bladder to get the immune system to fight the cancer.
- Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to fight the cancer.
- Radiation therapy: Uses high energy beams to destroy the cancer cells.
- Bladder removal (radical cystectomy): Surgically removes the entire bladder and surrounding lymph nodes.
- Surgically created urinary tract replacement: The surgeon may use part of the intestine to create a new urinary conduit or fashion a new bladder.
Sources: MayoClinic.org; Cancer.org; NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov.