Blood in the urine
At the early stages of bladder cancer, there’s usually bleeding, often intermittent, but little to no pain or other symptoms.
Changes in urination
Frequent urination, pain or burning during urination, urgent need to “go” when you don’t have to.
As the cancer advances, other symptoms appear, such as lower back pain, loss of appetite, and swollen feet.
Who is at risk for bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer typically affects Caucasian men over 40 years of age. In addition to race, gender, and age, other risk factors include:
- tobacco smoking
- previous cancer treatment
- exposure to certain chemicals, dyes, and fumes
- chronic bladder inflammation
How is bladder cancer diagnosed?
The most common type is the non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and it can be detected early. We perform cystoscopy to look into the bladder using a narrow camera inserted through the urethra. The cystoscope has a lens and fiber-optic lighting system, allowing us to see and examine the inside of the urethra and bladder.
What are the treatment options?
Once the type and stage of the cancer is determined, we then prepare the most appropriate treatment plan.
Bladder cancer can be treated through surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. Most frequently tumors are removed surgically. In some cases, to prevent the reoccurrence of tumors, we recommend an EMDA treatment course.
