Bladder cancer is a type of tumor characterized by the growth of malignant cells in the bladder wall, which can occur due to smoking or constant exposure to chemicals such as dyes, pesticides or arsenic, for example, when these substances are removed by urine, which is concentrated in the bladder before being removed and can cause changes.
Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer are progressive and can be confused with other diseases of the urinary system, such as increased need to urinate, pain in the lower abdomen, excessive fatigue, and weight loss for no apparent reason. It is important that the diagnosis is made as soon as the first symptoms are identified, as this allows to initiate the most appropriate treatment, avoid complications and increase the chances of recovery.
- Symptoms of bladder cancer occur when malignant cells proliferate and interfere with bladder activity.
- Thus.
- The main signs and symptoms of this type of cancer are:.
Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer are common to other urinary tract diseases, such as prostate cancer, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or urinary incontinence, so it’s not important for your family doctor or urologist to recommend testing to identify the cause of your symptoms to indicate the most appropriate treatment.
Many toxic substances pass through the bladder and are removed from the bloodstream through urine, with which we come into daily contact through food consumption, breathing and skin contact.
These substances, found in cigarettes, pesticides, dyes, and medications, such as cyclophosphamide and arsenic, come into contact with the bladder wall and, during prolonged exposure, can trigger the formation of cancer cells.
In the presence of signs and symptoms of bladder cancer, it is important that the urologist is consulted for clinical evaluations, physical examination, and laboratory tests, such as urine examination, urinary tract ultrasound, MRI or CT and cystoscopy. , which involves inserting a thin tube through the urethra to look inside the bladder. Understand how cystoscopy is performed.
In addition, in case of suspected cancer, your doctor recommends a biopsy, in which a small sample of the altered area of your bladder is taken to evaluate under a microscope to check for benign or malignant alteration.
The following steps to define the severity and treatment of bladder cancer then depend on the stage of cancer development:
The stage of cancer depends on when the person developed it, so it is very important that the diagnosis and initiation of treatment are done as soon as possible.
Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage and degree of organic damage and can be done through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, as directed by your doctor. When bladder cancer is identified at an early stage, there is a high chance of recovery and therefore early diagnosis is essential.
Thus, depending on the stage of the disease, the symptoms present by the person and the general state of health, the main treatment options are:
Surgery is the most commonly used treatment to cure this type of cancer, however, it doesn’t work well until the tumor is in the early stages and is localized. Surgical procedures that may be used include:
When the bladder is completely removed, lymph nodes or other organs near the bladder that may contain cancer cells may also be removed. For men, the organs removed are the prostate, seminal vesicle and part of the defern channel. In women, the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and part of the vagina are removed.
Immunotherapy uses drugs that stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells and is used more in superficial bladder cancer or to prevent the growth of a new cancer, for example, after surgery.
The remedy used in immunotherapy is BCG, a solution that contains live and weakened bacteria, which are introduced into the bladder by a catheter, which will stimulate the immune system to kill cancer cells. The patient should keep the BCG solution in the bladder for approximately 2 hours and treatment is performed once a week, for 6 weeks.
This type of treatment uses radiation to kill cancer cells and can be done before surgery, to reduce the size of the tumor, or after surgery, to remove cancer cells that may still be present.
Radiation therapy may be done outdoors, using a device that focuses radiation on the bladder area, or through internal radiation, in which a device is placed in the bladder that releases the radioactive substance. Treatment is done a few times a week, for several weeks, depending on the stage of the tumor.
Chemotherapy for bladder cancer uses drugs to kill cancer cells and a single drug or a combination of two may be used.
In patients with superficial bladder cancer, your doctor may use intravesical chemotherapy, in which the drug is inserted directly into your bladder through a catheter and remains active for several hours. This treatment is done once a week for several weeks.