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Bladder Cancer |
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Bladder cancer mostly arises from the cells of thin, membranous tissue. Cancers that are diagnosed when they are still confined to this superficial layer respond very well to simple treatment, but cancers that generate to deeper tissues are much more problematic. The most important cause of bladder cancer is cigarette smoking. Many of the toxins that enter the body inhaled by smokers are absorbed into the bloodstream, and then excreted by the kidneys into the urine. In the U.S., tobacco use accounts for about half of all bladder cancers. Various industrial toxins can also injure the transitional cells that line the bladder, causing the production of cancer. In the past, workers in the point, rubber, electric, cable and textile industries were at substantial risk; but current work-place safety regulations have greatly improved matters. In the U.S., the bladder cancer strikes men about 3 times more often than women. About 40,000 American men are diagnosed with this disease, and about 8,000 are losing their lives due to this disease. Bladder cancer is the 4th most common internal cancer in American men. In early stages of bladder cancer, the disease is easiest way to treat. The most common symptoms of bladder cancer is blood in the urine (gross hematuria), that is visible to the naked eye. The typical case of bladder cancer produces bloody urine without other symptoms (such as pain, fever). In some cases bladder cancer does not produce bleeding at all. Some of these patients complain of urinary frequency, urgency or discomfort caused by bladder irritation, but many have no symptoms at all. To diagnose bladder cancer, the doctor must first rule out other common causes of bleeding (such as kidney stones) and identify the bladder tumor itself. A digital rectal exam is used to check for prostatitis or Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Such procedures like ultrasound and CT scans are also helpful in detecting larger bladder cancers, especially if they spread beyond the bladder wall itself. The procedure is the gold standard for the diagnosis of blood cancer, but it is invasive. Follow-up is important because bladder cancers frequently develop on multiple sites of the urolpithelium and these tumors tend to reoccur. Most urologists perform follow-up cystoscopies every 3 months for the first year after successful treatment of superficial bladder cancer, then every 6 months for 2 years and every year thereafter. Most superficial bladder cancers respond very well to treatment. The first step is to remove the tumor through cystoscopic surgery (endoscopic resection). Surgery is however not enough, because bladder cancers frequently develop in multiple locations and they tend to recur. These problems can be controlled by administering additional therapy within the bladder. Most often, that treatment involves immunotherapy. An alternative is intravesial chemotherapy (within the bladder). Bladder cancers that do not respond to local therapy require more aggressive treatment. The standard treatment for these tumors is radical cystectomy, surgical removal of the entire bladder. Chemotherapy and radiation can help control wide spread bladder cancer, and in some cases may even provide a cure. To prevent bladder cancer, individuals who smoke, must quit. Review your work history for possible exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, improve your diet, and drink more fluids in order to try to prevent this disease.
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| Category |
Disease Conditions > B
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| Related Searches |
bladder cancer symptoms, gall bladder cancer, bladder cancer treatment |
| Date Submitted |
07-Aug-2005
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