|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| BLADDER CANCER - PATIENT'S GUIDE |
|
Despite treatment advances, bladder cancer remains the most common cancers diagnosed. In fact, roughly 50,000 of us will develop bladder cancer this year, and more than 12,000 of those who do will ultimately die of this disease. That breaks down to approximately 35,000 men and 15,000 women diagnosed with cancer of the bladder each year. Overall, the disease appears more often among Caucasians than among either Latinos or African Americans and the lowest rates of occurrence appear among Asians. Furthermore, studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute have shown that cancers of the bladder primarily affect men and women forty years of age or older. Unfortunately, as with cancer of the prostate, cancer of the bladder typically does not present with easily recognizable symptoms as it quietly begins to develop.
Like most cancers, bladder cancer’s precise causes are unknown. However, research has demonstrated that a variety of cancer-causing agents found in the urine may facilitate the development of the disease, that cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking can be shown to be an important causal factor in roughly 50% of bladder cancer occurrences. |
Industrial chemicals …such as benzidine and beta-naphthylamine, compounds, known as arylamines and even low fluid consumption have all been associated with bladder cancer. Unfortunately, our risk factors for developing cancer of the bladder do increase with age. Those of us over the age of 70 tend to develop the disease between 2 and 3 times as often than those of us aged 55 to 69 – that is fully 15 to 20 times as often than those of us between the ages of 30 and 54.
Here are a few more basic facts. Roughly 90% of bladder cancers originate in the cells lining the bladder (the transitional epithelium). Though any symptoms of the onset of the disease will tend to be mild, at least at first, cancer of the bladder may lead to anemia, urinary incontinence or a blockage of the urethra that will prevent your urine from draining into the bladder normally (the condition is known as hydronephrosis). By far the most serious complication of bladder cancer’s onset is the diseases all too common spread into distant organs.
SIGNS OF BLADDER CANCER MAY INCLUDE BLOOD IN OR RETENTION OF URINE
Generally speaking, the only common early symptom of bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine (the condition is also known as hematuria). The condition is not always visible to the naked eye however and that tends to delay diagnosis. Similarly, diagnoses of bladder cancer are often delayed because the bleeding occurs intermittently and may or may not show up during a routine urinalysis or only show by causing your urine to seem reddish or a bit darker than normal. Diagnosis can be further complicated by the simple fact that even if you do see signs of redness or blood in your urine …it probably does not mean that you have developed bladder cancer.
The truth is that a variety of common ailments — that range from simple urinary tract infections to kidney disease, bladder or kidney stones and prostate related issues — can be the culprit behind hematuria, overly frequent urination or pain and burning during urination.
Because conditions such as an enlarged-prostate and urinary tract infections such as urethritis or cystitis can present symptoms similar to those of bladder cancer (dysuria, hematuria, polyuria, etc.), it will be essential for you to involve your general practitioner or urologist as soon as you detect one of them. That way, regardless of the illness, it will be treated promptly.
IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS …PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR:
- Chronic bladder inflammation, urinary stones or chronic urinary tract infections.
- Unusually slow urinary stream or uncomfortable temporary retention of urine.
- Inflammation of your lumbar area – between your diaphragm and your sacrum.
- ifficulty urinating or abnormally frequent urination.
- Painful spasms (bladder tenesmus) or a burning sensation while urinating.
- Spasms or pain and discomfort centered on your pelvic area – your groin. Or, any unexplained swelling of your lower extremities.
Cancers of the bladder are usually diagnosed by examining urine for cancer cells under a microscope (known as urine cytology) or during cystoscopy – an inspection of the bladder with a slender tube (known as a cystoscope) equipped with a lens and a light that is inserted into a bladder through the urethra.
If you are presenting symptoms and bladder cancer is the suspect, your doctor will remove a small tissue during a cystoscopic procedure then examined. If it turns out that you have developed bladder cancer, a CT Scan (computed tomography) will most likely be needed to determine its stage and type – and whether or not the cancer has metastasized and spread into distant parts of your body – such as your lungs, your lymph nodes, bones, or your liver.
TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF BLADDER CANCER
Essentially, there are three types of bladder cancers, transitional cell carcinomas that start in the layer of cells lining the bladder, squamous cell carcinomas that originate in one type of cell in the bladder’s lining and adenocarcinomas that begin in glandular cells. Bladder cancers are further identified according to how they’ve spread. If the cancer is only found within in the bladder’s lining, it’s characterized as superficial cancer – while carcinomas that have spread to the bladder’s muscle wall are referred to as invasive. Transitional cell carcinoma (or TCC) is the most common type of cancer of the bladder …TCC accounts for approximately 90% of the cases of bladder cancer.
It’s worth noting that 70% of transitional cell carcinoma occurrences are superficial – and therefore unlikely to metastasize – which is to say: spread into neighboring or distant tissues. Unfortunately, the remaining 30% of TCC occurrences fall into the muscle invasive group – having invaded the bladder’s muscular wall and potentially other nearby organs. Proper will be crucial as your treatment options will be determined by how deeply the carcinoma has invaded the bladder, whether or not it’s metastasized and if it has, where it’s metastasized.
As for the less common forms of bladder cancer …squamous cell carcinomas account for roughly 8% of bladder cancer cases, and adenocarcinomas, only make up between 1 and 2% of bladder cancer cases (they do however, account for approximately 90 to 95% of all colorectal cancer occurrences). Naturally, different forms of cancer of the bladder respond differently to treatment so the approach to treatment will vary from one patient to the next.
YOU CAN TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN YOUR CANCER’S TREATMENT AND CARE
If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, your prescribed treatment and your treatment options will mainly depend on how deeply the tumor has invaded. For example, it is possible to “shave of” a superficial tumor (a tumor that has not invaded the bladder’s muscle layer) with an electrocautery device during a procedure known as robotic-assisted laparoscopic cystectomy.
Immunotherapy in the form of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) instillation can also be used to treat and prevent the reappearance of superficial tumors related to cancer of the bladder. Immunotherapy has been shown to be fairly effective in up to 2/3 of the cases at this stage. It’s also possible to use instillations of chemotherapy to treat superficial bladder carcinomas.
When left untreated, even a superficial tumor can begin to infiltrate and once such tumors have metastasized, they require a more radical surgery during which either a portion of or the entire bladder will be removed and the urinary stream diverted. In certain cases, skilled urologists can create a substitute bladder (or neobladder) from intestinal tissues, but such a procedure would depend on your age, your level of renal function, and the precise location of the tumor.
THERE ARE STEPS YOU TAKE TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE YOUR CANCER RISKS:
- Eat more cabbage, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.
- If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quit.
- Be careful with chemicals and private water sources and drink plenty of fluids.
Finally …tell your doctor about it immediately if you notice blood in your urine, notice that your urine has reddened inexplicably or begin experiencing urinary dysfunction of any kind.
There are also a variety of causal and risk factors – that studies have been shown contribute to the development of cancer of the bladder – which you should be aware of. If you answer “yes” to any of the items below and you’re over 40, it may be time add a bladder cancer screening to your existing check-up regimen:
- Have you used weight-loss formulas containing the herb Aristolochia Fangchi?
- Do you have a diet that’s high in saturated fats?
- Are you a smoker or are you exposed to second-hand smoke regularly?
- Have you had external beam radiation therapy?
- Does your family have a history of bladder cancer?
- Have you been treated with cancer drugs such as cyclophosfamide?
- Have you been exposed to Schistosoma Haematobium parasites … they are fairly common in developing countries?
If you decide to take an active role in the decisions affecting your treatment, take the time to consult with your physician and learn as much as you can about cancer of the bladder and the options available to treat it. You may even want to consider getting a 2nd opinion from a bladder cancer specialist, such as a urologist, a medical oncologist, or a urologic oncologist.
In the end, the treatment that’s best for you will depend on factors, ranging from your age and weight to the type, stage and extent of your bladder cancer, as well as on your overall physical condition and personal preferences.
For additional info on bladder cancer’s symptoms or care, contact us today. |
|
|
|
|
 |
