Bladder cancer basics

there’s a cancer that men are more likely to get than women, it’s bladder cancer.  Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in the United States and is also considered one of the 10 deadliest cancers.  Recognizing symptoms associated with bladder cancer is key as the sooner it is discovered, the more likely a person will survive the disease.

What is the bladder

The urinary bladder is a hollow organ in the pelvis.  The bladder is a holding reservoir with its primary function to store urine that drains from the kidney through tube-like structures called the ureters.  As urine trickles from the kidneys into the bladder, the bladder will gradually stretch and expand to hold the urine until it’s ready to be expelled from the body.  The bladder can hold up to about 2 cups of urine.

Who is at risk

Men are about 3 to 4 times more at risk of developing bladder cancer with the average age of diagnosis at 73 years of age.  According to the American Cancer Society, the disease is uncommon before age 60 as 9 out of 10 people with cancer of the bladder are over the age of 55.  It steadily increases as a person gets older.

Men who are Caucasian have double the risk of African Americans.

Risk Factors

Pinpointing the exact cause of any cancer is difficult as cancers are caused by varying combinations of genetic and environmental factors. Scientists are just beginning to understand the genes that increase the risk of bladder cancer. It appears to be influenced by oncogenes stimulating malignant transformation of cells and then tumor suppressor genes mutating and losing the ability to claim their role of fighting off cancer cell growth.

Other risk factors include the following:

·      Cigarette smoking – smokers inhale toxins absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted by the kidneys into the urine.  When urine sits in the bladder waiting to be expelled, the bladder lining is subjected to the carcinogens increasing the risk of bladder cancer.

·      Radiation therapy for prostate cancer may increase risk for bladder cancer

·      Chemicals – chemicals used in textile, rubber, leather, dye, paint, and print industries may increase the risk

·      Age – more than 70 percent of people with bladder cancer are older than 65 years of age

·      Chronic bladder problems – bladder stones, infections and people who are paralyzed from the waist down who’ve had many urinary infections

·      Cyclophosphamide – this chemotherapy drug places people who used it at a higher risk

·      Pioglitazone hydrochloride (Actos) – This diabetes drug was given a warning by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 that if it had been taken for a year or more that bladder cancer risk was increased

·      Schistosomiasis – this is a parasitic disease found in parts of Africa and the Mediterranean region that increases risk of bladder cancer

The best ways to reduce bladder cancer risk are to not smoke as people who don’t smoke are three to four times less likely to get bladder cancer as compared to smokers.  Taking steps to avoid environmental carcinogens can also help reduce the risk. 

Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer

Symptoms of bladder cancer include:

·      Blood in the urine – also known as hematuria, this is one of the first signs of bladder cancer.

·      Changes in urination – increased frequency, pain, and a feeling of urination urgency.

·      Lower back pain

·      Pelvic pain

If a person is experiencing any of the above symptoms, they need to see their doctor right away.  Factors impacting prognosis include the stage and grade of the tumor so the sooner a person can get diagnosed, if it is bladder cancer, the greater the chance of survival.