Below, you’ll find must-know information about bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer is a condition where cancer cells develop in the bladder lining. It occurs when some cells in the bladder lining undergo mutation or alteration. They transform into aberrant cells that eventually proliferate and develop into tumors.
Bladder cancer can be dangerous if left untreated. The tumors may invade and spread throughout the walls of the bladder. It can also spread to neighboring areas such as the lymph nodes and subsequently to other parts of the body, such as your lungs or liver.
Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year. It is a common type of cancer in men, with about 57,000 of them getting diagnosed each year.
However, women are not spared. About 18,000 of them get diagnosed with bladder cancer each year.
There are various types of bladder cancer. Urothelial carcinoma is the most common in the United States. This particular cancer occurs in the cells of the lining of the bladder.
Another type of bladder cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. This is caused by chronic bladder irritation. It is an uncommon form of bladder cancer caused by the prolonged use of Foley catheters.
The rarest type of bladder cancer is adenocarcinoma. This type of bladder cancer originates in the glands of the bladder.
Smoking is the most common cause of bladder cancer. Other causes include age, genetics, and exposure to certain chemicals such as aniline dyes, xenylamine, and benzidine.
Other risk factors include previous treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Knowing the various bladder cancer symptoms can help prevent the severity of the condition.
Here are various critical bladder cancer symptoms and signs worth knowing about.
12. Change In Urine Color
A change in urine color is usually the first symptom of bladder cancer. The majority of bladder cancer patients have cancer cells that first develop in the bladder’s internal lining.
The cancer cells can group together to produce tumors that can lead to bleeding. Although there is little bleeding in the early stages, it’s enough to change the color of the urine.
11. Tissue Fragments In Urine
As the cancer cells grow into tumors, they can affect the function of the urethra. The urethra is a tube where urine passes to flow out of the body.
Tumors will not only slow down the urine flow but they can also damage tissues. The damaged tissues are eliminated through urine.
10. Blood In Urine
The presence of blood in the urine is referred to as hematuria in medical terminology. It happens when the tumors grow, invading and breaking the blood arteries. Once this happens, more blood appears in the urine.
From a slight change in color, the urine appears to have a brighter red color. In some cases, the color may be dark red.
9. Frequent Urination
Tumor mass is to blame for frequent urination in bladder cancer. It irritates the bladder, causing it to become overactive. As the tumor grows, it disrupts the function of the bladder by disabling it from holding as much urine as possible.
Hence, the patient ends up urinating more often. This could potentially lead to sleepless nights and embarrassing moments.
8. Difficulty In Urinating
Difficulty in urinating is brought about by the cancer cells that are gradually growing in the bladder. They are slowly covering the muscle walls of the bladder. These cancer cells have the potential to grow into tumors.
Since urine is stored in the bladder, the growth of the cancer cells will eventually get in the way. This can eventually lead to difficulty in urinating.
7. Loss Of Appetite
Loss of appetite may manifest as the bladder cancer progresses. The cancer cells may have spread to other body organs such as the kidneys, liver, lymph nodes, or lungs. Once the body organs are affected, they will not be able to function well. This could cause the patient to lose appetite.
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapies, which are used to treat bladder cancer, can cause patients to lose their appetite.
6. Rapid Weight Loss
Rapid weight loss is inevitable with loss of appetite. It happens when the body is malnourished. In addition, cancer cells may deplete the nutrients necessary for the formation and function of healthy cells. This can cause the patient to lose weight rapidly.
Weight loss can also be brought about by the emotional state of the patient. Depression, anxiety, and worry can induce a decrease in appetite that leads to rapid weight loss.
5. Low Back Pain
Pain in the lower back is one of the symptoms that may be experienced when bladder cancer has progressed to a more advanced stage. This is brought about by the growing tumor inside the bladder.
It can also be possible that the cancer cells have moved to other parts of the body. In most cases, the pain is localized to just one side of the back.
4. Abdominal Pain
Aside from low back pain, abdominal pain is also experienced as bladder cancer progresses. The cause of the pain comes from the affected muscles that cover the bladder wall.
The cancer cells form together, creating a tumor. From the bladder lining, the tumor spreads and ends up invading the muscle wall of the bladder. It is also most likely that cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
3. Swollen Feet
Swelling of the feet is another symptom of advanced bladder cancer. It could be that the cancer cells have already spread to the lymph nodes, causing the feet to swell. If the kidney is also affected, it could also cause the feet to swell.
Cancer treatments such as radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy can also cause the feet to swell.
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