Bladder cancer is a cancerous tumor in the bladder — the hollow, muscular organ that holds urine.
UPMC urologists are specialists in bladder cancer surgical procedures — including partial and radical cystectomy — for the treatment of bladder cancer. They are also recognized experts in orthotopic neobladder reconstruction, which involves creating a new, functional bladder from a segment of bowel.
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What Is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer is a malignant tumor of the bladder — the hollow, muscular organ that stores urine.
What are the types of bladder cancer?
Most bladder cancers are urothelial carcinomas that begin in the cells lining the bladder.
Other, less common types of bladder cancer include:
- Adenocarcinoma.
- Small cell carcinoma of the bladder.
- Squamous cell carcinoma.
Your doctor may also describe your bladder cancer as:
- Muscle-invasive bladder cancer — Occurs when cancer cells spread through the bladder lining and into or beyond the muscle wall.
- Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer — The most common type of bladder cancer, which occurs when cancer cells have not spread to the muscle wall of the bladder.
How common is bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. More than 50,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed every year.
What causes bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer is caused by abnormal changes in how bladder cells grow and divide.
Bladder cancer risk factors
The greatest risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking. Risk also increases with age: bladder cancer is rare in people under 40.
Men are affected three times more often than women, and Caucasian people have twice the risk of African American or Hispanic people.
Exposure to certain workplace chemicals and a family history of the disease are also associated with increased risk of developing bladder cancer.
Complications of bladder cancer
Left untreated, bladder cancer can spread to other parts of your body and cause serious complications, including:
- Abdominal pain.
- Bone pain.
- Fatigue.
- Inability to urinate.
- Lower back pain on one side of your body.
- Loss of appetite.
- Swelling of your feet.
- Unintended weight loss.
How can I reduce my risk of bladder cancer?
You may not be able to prevent bladder cancer. However, quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to chemicals in the workplace can reduce your risk.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Bladder Cancer?
What are the early warning signs of bladder cancer?
Common symptoms of bladder cancer include blood in urine and frequent, painful urination. You may also feel like you need to urinate even when your bladder isn’t full or urinate often during the night.
However, these symptoms are not caused solely by bladder cancer. They can also result from other issues, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or an enlarged prostate gland. Therefore, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is very important.
When should I see a doctor about my bladder cancer symptoms?
If you have symptoms of bladder cancer, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or a urologist as soon as possible. When bladder cancer is found and treated early, your chances of survival are very good.
How Do You Diagnose Bladder Cancer?
If you have symptoms of bladder cancer, your doctor will perform a physical exam, ask about your medical and family history, and order tests.
What to expect during your visit
If your doctor suspects bladder cancer, they will:
- Ask about your symptoms.
- Perform a physical exam.
- Order other tests.
- Review your health history and medications.
Tests to diagnose bladder cancer
Your doctor may order tests to diagnose bladder cancer, including:
- Biopsy — A procedure to take a sample of suspicious tissue so it can be checked for cancer. In some cases, your doctor may be able to remove your entire bladder tumor during a cystoscopy.
- CT urogram — CT imaging of the urinary tract using a contrast dye to show abnormalities.
- Cystoscopy — A procedure that allows your doctor to look at the lining of your bladder to check for abnormalities. Your doctor will use an instrument called a cystoscope, which is a thin tube with a light and a camera that is inserted through your urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body).
- Urine tests — Your doctor may order urine tests, such as urine biomarker tests or urinalysis, to check for signs of cancer.
Bladder cancer prognosis
Is bladder cancer usually curable?
When bladder cancer is found and treated early, your chances for survival are very good. Your prognosis depends on the extent of the cancer, your overall health, and other factors. Your doctor will discuss your prognosis with you.
What is the survival rate for bladder cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for localized bladder cancer is 72%. The five-year relative survival rate for regional bladder cancer is 40%, and 9% for bladder cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body.
How Do You Treat Bladder Cancer?
Surgery to remove all or part of the bladder is the most common treatment for bladder cancer. The type of surgery depends on the tumor size, extent of spread, and rate of progression.
Surgery for bladder cancer
Partial cystectomy, the removal of a segment of the bladder, is an option when the tumor is low-grade and has affected only one area of the bladder.
When the cancer is aggressive or involves a large part of the bladder, radical cystectomy, the removal of the entire bladder and surrounding structures, may be performed.
Bladder reconstruction
UPMC's surgeons are specialists in partial and radical cystectomy for the treatment of bladder cancer. They are also recognized experts in orthotopic neobladder reconstruction—the creation of a new, functional bladder using a segment of the bowel.
For many patients who require a cystectomy, the procedure is a desirable alternative to wearing a bag to drain urine. When this reconstruction is performed by highly experienced surgeons, the new bladder enables patients to urinate without a catheter and significantly improves their quality of life.
Other treatments for bladder cancer
Your doctor may recommend other treatments for bladder cancer, including:
- Intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy — A liquid solution containing chemotherapy or immunotherapy medications is put directly into the bladder to kill cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy — Uses high-energy x-ray beams to kill cancer cells or stop cancer growth.
- Systemic chemotherapy or immunotherapy — Uses medications to kill cancer cells or slow cancer growth (chemotherapy) or stimulate your immune system to identify and kill cancer cells (immunotherapy).
- Targeted therapy — Uses medications that target cancer cells with specific characteristics.
Clinical trials for bladder cancer
In addition to clinical practice, UPMC urology experts are conducting ongoing research into how bladder cancer develops and progresses. Clinical trials are underway to investigate new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.
Why Choose UPMC for Bladder Cancer Care?
When you choose UPMC for bladder cancer care, you will receive:
- Access to board-certified specialists — Our urology specialists are experienced in caring for people with bladder cancer and related complications.
- Expert diagnosis and personalized care — Our team will develop a customized treatment plan to reduce your risk of complications and improve your quality of life.
- A full range of treatment options — We use the latest nonsurgical, minimally invasive, and surgical techniques to provide comprehensive care.
