Bladder cancer | Symptoms of Bladder Cancer | Causes of Bladder Cancer |Types of Bladder Cancer | Treatment of Bladder Cancer | Risk Factors | Prevention From Bladder cancer |

 What is Bladder Cancer?

Bladder cancer is a common type of cancer that begins in the cells of the bladder. The bladder is a hollow organ of the muscles of the lower abdomen that stores urine. 

 Bladder cancer most commonly occurs in the cells that line the bladder (urothelial cells). Urothelial cells are also found in the kidneys and the ducts that connect the kidneys to the bladder (ureters). Urothelial cancer can also occur in the kidneys and ureters,  but it is much more common in the bladder. 

 Most bladder cancers are diagnosed in the early stages when the cancer is highly treatable. However, even early bladder cancer can recur after successful treatment. For this reason, patients with bladder cancer usually require follow-up visits to check for recurrent bladder cancer years after treatment. 

 

Bladder Cancer

Symptoms of Bladder Cancer:

Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer include the following: 

 Blood in the urine (hematuria). This may cause the urine to appear bright red or cola, but the urine may appear normal and blood may be shown on clinical examination. 

•  Frequent urination 
•  Painful urination 
•  Back pain 

 Cause of Bladder Cancer:

 Bladder cancer begins when cells in the bladder make changes (mutations) in their DNA. The DNA of a cell contains instructions that tell the cell what to do. This change dictates that cells proliferate rapidly and stay alive when healthy cells die. Abnormal cells can form tumors that can invade and destroy normal body tissue.

 Over time,  abnormal cells can separate and spread (metastasize) throughout the body.

Mutations in DNA

Types of Bladder Cancer:

Various types of cells in the bladder can become cancerous. The type of bladder cells that cause cancer determines the type of bladder cancer. Your doctor will use this information to determine which treatment is best for you.

 The types of bladder cancer include: 

 Urothelial cancer:

 Formerly called transitional cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma develops in the cells that line the bladder. Urothelial cells expand when the bladder is full and contract when the bladder is empty. The same cells line the inside of the ureter and urethra, and cancer can develop in these areas as well. 

Urothelial cancer is the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States.

Urothelial Cancer

  Squamous cell carcinoma:

 Squamous cell carcinoma is associated with chronic inflammation of the bladder, including infections and long-term use of urinary catheters. Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder is rare in the United States. Certain parasitic infections (schistosomiasis) are more common in parts of the world where bladder infections are a common cause.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

 Adenocarcinoma:

 Adenocarcinoma begins with cells that make mucous secretory glands in the bladder. Adenocarcinoma of the bladder is very rare.  Some bladder cancers are associated with multiple cell types.

            Adenocarcinoma

Risk Factor Of Bladder Cancer:

Factors that may increase your risk of bladder cancer  include: 

 Smoking:

 Smoking tobacco, cigars, or pipes can increase your risk of bladder cancer by accumulating harmful chemicals in your urine. When you smoke, your body processes the chemicals in the smoke and excretes some of them in your urine. These harmful chemicals can damage the inner wall of the bladder and increase the risk of cancer.

 Aging:

 The risk of bladder cancer increases with age. Although it can occur at any age, most people diagnosed with bladder cancer are 55 years or older. You are a man Men are more likely to get bladder cancer than women.

Exposure to certain chemicals:

 The kidneys play an important role in filtering harmful chemicals from the bloodstream and sending them to the bladder. For this reason, exposure to certain chemicals may increase the risk of bladder cancer. Chemicals associated with the risk of bladder cancer include arsenic and chemicals used in the manufacture of dyes, rubber, leather, textiles, and paint products.  Previous cancer treatment.

 Treatment with the anticancer drug cyclophosphamide increases the risk of bladder cancer. People who have received radiation therapy to the pelvis for previous cancers are at increased risk of developing bladder cancer.

  Chronic cystitis:

 Chronic or recurrent infections or inflammation of the urinary tract (cystitis) that can occur with long-term use of urethral catheters can increase the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. In some parts of the world, squamous cell carcinoma is associated with chronic cystitis caused by a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis.

  Personal or family history of cancer. If you have had bladder cancer, you are more likely to get it again. If one of the relatives, such as a parent, brother, or child, has a history of bladder cancer, it is rare for the family to develop bladder cancer, but the risk of the disease can be increased.

             Chronic cystitis

 The family history of Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), may increase the risk of cancer in the urinary system,  colon, uterus, ovaries, and other organs.

  Prevention from Bladder Cancer:

 There is no guaranteed way to prevent bladder cancer, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Example: 

•  No smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about plans to help you quit smoking.
•  Support groups, dosing, and other methods can help you quit. Be careful when handling chemicals. 
• Follow all safety precautions when handling chemicals to avoid exposure.  Choose from a variety of fruits and vegetables.
•  Eat a meal rich in a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
•  Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of cancer.

Treatment of Bladder Cancer:

Treatment options for bladder cancer depend on many factors, including the type of cancer, the malignancy of cancer, and the stage of cancer. These factors are taken into account along with general health and treatment preferences. 

Treatment of bladder cancer includes:

 surgery to remove cancer cells:

 Intravesical chemotherapy (intravesical chemotherapy) is used to treat cancer that is confined to the inner layer of the bladder but is at high risk of recurrence or progression to late stages.

Systemic chemotherapy:

 Systemic chemotherapy (systemic chemotherapy) to increase the chances of recovery for people undergoing bladder surgery, or as first-line treatment, if surgery is not an option 

 Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. It is often given as first-line treatment when surgery is not possible or desirable. 

 Immunotherapy:

 Immunotherapy stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer cells either in the bladder or throughout the body.

 Targeted therapy is used to treat advanced cancer when other treatments have failed 

 Physicians and members of the treatment team may recommend a combination of treatment approaches.