Bladder Cancer

Doctors use a combination of tests to diagnose bladder cancer and determine how advanced it is.

• Urine test. A doctor may test urine for blood, infection or cancer cells.
• Imaging test. Imaging, such as a CT scan, MRI, PET scan or ultrasound, can help doctors look for tumors inside the body. Some patients may need an intravenous pyelogram (IVP), which uses contrast dye to highlight any blockages in the urinary tract on an X-ray.
• Cystoscopy. A cystoscopy allows a doctor to look inside the bladder using a thin, lighted tube inserted through the urethra.
• Biopsy and transurethral resection (TURBT). If a tumor is found, tissue is removed using a procedure called transurethral resection of bladder tumor, or TURBT. This confirms the diagnosis and helps determine how deeply the cancer has grown.

Bladder cancer is described by stage and grade:

• Stage describes how far the cancer has spread. It may be confined to the bladder lining (early stage) or invasive, meaning it has spread to the bladder wall, nearby tissue, lymph nodes or other organs.
• Grade describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope. High-grade cancers tend to grow and spread more quickly than low-grade cancers.

Understanding the stage and grade helps your care team choose the best treatment plan.

Early-stage bladder cancer that has not spread is often treated with TURBT and sometimes followed by intravesical therapy, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy, delivered directly into the bladder.

When bladder cancer grows into the muscle wall or spreads beyond the bladder, treatment may include one or more of the following:

• Surgery to remove the bladder.
• Chemotherapy.
• Immunotherapy.
• Radiation therapy.
• Clinical trials.

No. Blood in urine can have many causes, including infection or kidney stones. However, it should always be checked by a healthcare provider.

There is no guaranteed way to prevent bladder cancer, but you can lower your risk by not smoking, avoiding harmful chemicals, drinking plenty of fluids and seeing a doctor for persistent urinary symptoms.

Most bladder cancers are not inherited. However, having a family history of bladder cancer may increase your risk. Some inherited genetic conditions can also raise cancer risk. Your doctor may recommend genetic counseling if there is a strong history of cancer in your family.

Some bladder cancers have a high chance of returning. Your care team will recommend regular follow-up to monitor for return of the disease.

Not everyone with bladder cancer needs their bladder removed. Early-stage cancers can often be treated without removing the bladder. For more advanced cancers, bladder removal may be recommended, but bladder-sparing approaches are an option for some patients. Your doctor will discuss the best approach based on your cancer stage and overall health.

Intravesical therapies deliver medications directly into the bladder through a catheter. This can include chemotherapy or immunotherapy, and it is often used for early-stage bladder cancer.

Some bladder cancer treatments can affect sexual function or fertility in both men and women, especially surgery or certain chemotherapies. If this is a concern, talk with your doctor before treatment. Options such as fertility preservation or supportive therapies may be available.

Yes. Although bladder cancer is more common in men, thousands of women are diagnosed each year. Women often face delays in diagnosis because early symptoms can resemble more common conditions, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) or an overactive bladder.

Symptoms such as frequent urination, a sudden urge to urinate, painful urination or blood in urine can occur with both bladder cancer and UTIs. Women who experience persistent symptoms or recurrent UTIs that do not improve with treatment should talk with their health care provider about further evaluation.