Bladder Cancer

• Overview
  • The urinary bladder is a muscular sac located in the pelvis, just above and behind the pubic bone. Urine, which is made in the kidneys, travels down two tubes to the bladder called ureters and exits out of the body through the urethra. Urothelial cancer is a malignant tumor growth within the ureters, bladder, or urethra.
  • Tumors may be classified based on their growth patterns as either papillary tumors (wart-like lesion attached to a stalk) or non-papillary tumors (solid lesions with a broad base). Non-papillary tumors are less common (10%) but tend to be more invasive.
  • Bladder cancer rarely occurs in people younger than 40 years old and rates are higher among those who live in the northern half of the United States.
• Causes
  • The exact cause of urothelial cancer is unknown. However, there are risk factors to developing urothelial cancer. Some of these include cigarette smoking, exposure to carcinogens, radiation exposure, and certain chemotherapeutic agents. There are also certain genetic mutations that run in families that can increase one’s risk of developing bladder cancer. 
• Symptoms
  • Urothelial cancer does not always manifest symptoms. The most common symptom/sign is blood in the urine (hematuria). This can be red urine or only visible on the microscope. Other symptoms can include irritative urinary symptoms or painful urination. 
• Diagnosis
  • Depending on the indication, your doctor will evaluate you for urothelial cancer with a combination of the following diagnostic tests. 
    • History and physical exam
    • Urinalysis – evaluate the urine under a microscope to look for blood in the urine
    • Urine cytology – look for cancer cells in the urine
    • CT scan with contrast – evaluate for other causes of blood in the urine
    • Cystoscopy – lighted, flexible camera is inserted in the bladder through the urethra
  • If you do have a bladder tumor, this will require a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). This is done in the operating room under anesthesia. 
• Treatment
  • Treatment for urothelial cancers is dependent on the grade, stage, size, and location of the tumors. Many times, resection alone is adequate treatment. Often times, medicines instilled in the bladder may be indicated. For more aggressive cancers with a high risk of metastatic spread, removal of the bladder may be indicated. Chemotherapy may be recommended prior to bladder removal. Some patients may be better suited for chemotherapy and radiation treatment. 

The specialists at Magic Valley Urology can diagnose and treat bladder cancer. Call 208-733-3404 for an appointment.