Bladder cancer
The bladder collects urine from the kidneys before expelling it from the body through urination. Bladder cancer develops when the cells in bladder tissue start to divide uncontrollably.
Bladder cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer in men. It also affects females.
Bladder cancer can be benign or malignant. Malignant bladder cancer may be life threatening, as it can spread quickly. Without treatment, it can damage tissues and organs.
Symptoms
Blood in the urine: This is common. It can range from being detectable through a microscope to altering the color of the urine completely.
Urination habits: A person may need to urinate more often than usual. There may be a “stop and start” flow, or they may experience pain or a burning sensation during urination.
Later stage bladder cancer may cause the following symptoms:
weight loss
swelling in the feet
bone pain
an inability to urinate
The symptoms of bladder cancer can resemble those of a bladder infection. It is important to seek medical advice if symptoms persist
Causes
The cause of bladder cancer remains unknown, but genetic mutations may play a role.
Smoking tobacco and having exposure to chemicals may cause mutations that lead to bladder cancer. However, these may affect people in different ways.
Scientists do not consider genetics to be a major cause of bladder cancer. They do suggest, however, that these factors might make a person more susceptible to the effects of tobacco and certain industrial chemicals.
Treatment
The main forms of treatment for bladder cancer include one or several of the following:
surgery
chemotherapy
biological therapy
Breast cancer
Lung cancer
Brain cancer
Head & Neck cancer
Bone cancer
Blood cancer
Testicular cancer
Ovarian cancer
Prostate cancer
Stomach cancer
Bladder cancer
Thyroid cancer
Gallbladder cancer
Liver cancer
Skin Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
