Everything one needs to know about bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the 4th most common type of cancer affecting men in the country. However, it is not that common among women. At the same time, it is vital to know everything about this disease.

What is bladder cancer?

• Cancer is the uncontrolled reproduction of cells. About 60,000 new bladder cases are reported in the country every year. Out of these cases, urothelial sarcoma is the most common type of bladder cancer.
• Urothelial cells are epithelial cells which form the lining of the bladder as well as other organs of the urinary drainage system like the ureters and the urethra.

What are the risk factors for bladder cancer?

• As one grows older, the risk of bladder cancer also increases. Additionally, this disease is very common among men.
• Smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer tremendously. So does exposure to chemicals like arsenic as well as chemicals used in dyes, leather, paints, etc.

What are the stages and grades of bladder cancer?

• As cancer advances, it grows in complications.
• At advanced stages, they release malignant cells into the bloodstream which then travel to other organs or tissues and grows into new colonies. These are often called secondary or tertiary cancer, and this process of migration is called metastases.
• The stages for bladder cancer start at 0 and end at IV. The lower grade indicates that the cancer is localized and highly curable. Higher the grade, more advanced the cancer is, and simultaneously, curing the illness is more difficult too. Stage IV indicates that cancer has started to metastasize. Cytological studies of the malignant cell structure determine these stages.
• On the other hand, the grade of cancer depends on how different the cancerous cell appears from the original cells. Lower grades are given to cells that look close to the original form, and higher grades are for those cells that look very different. At a higher grade, the cells have lost all similarity to the original cell because of cancer, and these cells are said to be less differentiated. A high grade also indicates that they grow more aggressively, and spread to other tissues.

How is bladder cancer diagnosed?

• Cancer symptoms can be confusing. Blood in the urine, hematuria, back pain, pelvic pain, and pain during urination are all indicative of bladder cancer. However, many other conditions have similar symptoms.
• Blood in the urine is not always visible to the naked eye. Only a microscopic examination would reveal the presence of blood.
• Visual examination techniques like cystoscopy, retrograde pyelogram, CT and MRI scans are used, followed by biopsy which both confirms and helps in determining the type, stage, and grade of cancer.

What are the treatment options for bladder cancer?

• Treatments are grade and stage-dependent. They also depend on the health status of the patient. An early stage cancer that has not invaded underlying tissues can be removed by a procedure called TURBT (Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor). This procedure is an extension of cystoscopy.
• This treatment is followed by intravascular chemotherapy where a chemotherapy chemical is filled in the bladder and kept for an hour or so before being drained.
• Immunotherapy is a treatment option instituted in cases of advanced metastatic bladder cancer.
• Radical cystectomy and post-radical cystectomy, systemic chemotherapy, systemic immunotherapy, and radiation therapy are also a part of the treatment methods used for curing advanced metastatic bladder cancer.
• In case of recurring forms of cancer or those that continue to grow despite various treatments, a patient can opt for experimental treatment studies.
• These are experimental clinical trials with promising results. However, since these are in the experimental stages, one cannot have guaranteed results. Besides, there are several risks involved in some of these procedures. So, exercise due caution before participating in these trials.

Keywords: Advanced Metastatic Bladder Cancer Treatment