Common Signs and Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a very common kind of cancer, which affects about 68,000 adults in the country every year. Men are more prone to this type of cancer than women, and the condition is more common among older adults. Common symptoms of bladder cancer often manifest as the disease progresses, typically originating in urothelial cells lining the bladder. Understanding bladder cancer symptoms aids in early diagnosis and effective treatment planning.
Blood in the urine
In most of the patients who suffer from this disease, blood in the urine, which in medical terms is called hematuria, is usually the first sign.
Changes in bladder behavior
Bladder cancer has the potential to sometimes cause several changes in urine and its schedule, such as the following:
- The patient might require to urinate more often than he or she usually does
- Burning sensation or pain felt during the process of urination
- The patient might feel a constant need to urinate, even when they know their bladder is not full
- They might have trouble urinating or they can also have a weak urine stream
Advanced symptoms
Some cases of bladder cancer can grow large enough or they might spread to other parts of the body. This, in turn, can sometimes cause several other associated symptoms, such as:
- The inability to urinate properly at regular intervals
- Pain in one side of the lower portion of the back
- A genuine loss of appetite, sometimes leading to weight loss
There are some symptoms which might not be bladder cancer signs. However, it is of paramount importance to have these checked so that the patient knows about their cause and subsequently treats them, if necessary.