Urinary Bladder Cancer Treatment

Bladder cancer is a medical condition characterized by the abnormal growth of tissue in the bladder lining. The cancer is initiated when the cells that make up the urinary bladder, start multiplying rapidly. These cells continue to grow and form a tumor and spread to the rest of the body if not treated on time.

The symptoms listed below should not be ignored as they are indicative of the presence of bladder cancer:

• blood in the urine
• painful urination
• frequent urination
• urinary incontinence
• abdominal pain
• pain in the lower back
• blood clots

The factors listed below can increase a patients risk of developing bladder cancer:

• Tobacco use: People who smoke cigarettes and pipes have 4 to 7 more times of chances to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers.
• Age: People aged above 65 years old have a higher probability by 70% to develop bladder cancer.
• Gender: Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than women but women have a higher tendency to die from cancer than men.
• Chronic Diseases: Bladder infections and stones may increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.
• Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Clafen, Neaosar) People who have undergone chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide have a higher risk of developing bladder cancer.
• Medical History: People who have suffered from bladder cancer previously have a tendency to develop it again.
• Lynch Syndrome: People suffering from this syndrome too have a risk of developing bladder cancer.

Studies have proven that bladder cancer is most common among people who are aged above 55 years old. The average age at which bladder cancer is diagnosed is 73 years old. Around 9 out of 10 people suffering from bladder cancer are aged above 55 years old. Among men, bladder cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer.

A blood test is performed to check the general health condition of the patient, to check the number of blood cells, to help diagnose cancer and other conditions. Some of the types of blood tests that may be performed are Full blood count information, Urea and electrolytes information, liver function tests and tests to check the glomerular filtration rate. The urine containing blood is also analyzed and tested for any abnormalities.

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate of localized bladder cancer is 69%, in situ bladder cancer is 95%, regional bladder cancer is 35% and distant bladder cancer is 5%.

Your oncologist may suggest one or more of the following tests for the diagnosis of bladder cancer such as a urinalysis, an internal physical examination of the vagina or the rectum to look for any lumps that may have been formed, a cystoscopy which involves the insertion of a narrow tube attached to a camera to get a clearer picture, a biopsy to take a sample tissue, a CT scan to view the bladder.

Cystectomy is the process of removal of the bladder in case of bladder cancer or any other diseases pertaining to the bladder. In men, removing the entire bladder (radical cystectomy) involves the removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles. In women, radical cystectomy involves removal of the uterus, ovaries, and part of the vagina. Once cystectomy has been performed, your surgeon will create a urinary division in order to create a replacement to store urine and facilitate its excretion. This division can be created in various ways and your surgeon will recommend the most appropriate procedure depending upon your condition.

Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is the most common type of surgery for bladder cancer for the treatment of the early stages of bladder cancer.

This procedure is performed by inserting an instrument called a resectoscope into the bladder through the urethra which will be used to remove abnormal tissues or tumors. The tumor can also be destroyed by using laser and cystoscope.

Cystectomy is a type of surgery where the doctor removes part of your bladder (a partial cystectomy) or all of it (a radical cystectomy).

Sometimes bladder cancer can return after treatment, known as recurrence. If it returns, it can usually be treated in the earlier stages.

If the bladder cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be cured. The long term success of the treatment for urinary bladder depends upon whether the cancer is invasive or is superficial. It also depends on factors like how much has the bladder cancer spread to other parts of the body. If the bladder cancer is detected at a late stage, and has spread to distant body parts, then it can not be 100 percent cured.

Bladder cancer in advanced stages spreads to distant body parts like lungs, bones, liver, etc. It first spreads from the bladder walls to local lymph nodes and fatty tissues. Once it has entered the lymphatic system, it spreads from the urinary bladder to distant body parts. 

Smoking is said to be the biggest cause of bladder cancer. These chemicals of the tobacco are cancer causing, these chemicals travel via blood to the kidney and get filtered into the urine. Prolonged use of tobacco over the years, can increase the risk of various cancers, including bladder cancer.

The bladder cancer recovery takes around 6 weeks from the day of surgery. The recovery time can be divided into 2 weeks and the last 4 weeks. During the recovery, patients must rest well, eat a healthy diet, take the prescribed medicines on time, and go for regular health checkups.

Immediately after the surgery, the patient might have bleeding and pain while urinating, in case of TURBT surgery. With TURBT, the advantage is that the patient can go back home the same day, but should follow the steps of care given by the cancer care team. If the recovery goes well, the doctor will allow the patient to return back to work after 2-3 weeks. 

Patients are advised to avoid strenuous activities like bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, other types of aerobics, or gym workout.  This should be avoided for 2-3 weeks, and should be continued only after the doctor allows it. 

The 5 year survival rate of successful chemotherapy in case of bladder treatment is as high as 75 percent. In case the chemo does not respond well, bladder cancer success rate is only 14 percent. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a recent type of chemotherapy which has shown a very high success rate with treating bladder cancer. 

The symptoms of bladder cancer are similar to UTI and can be mistaken for UTI. Symptoms like increase in urine frequency, urgency and inability to hold urine, painful and burning urination, pain in the pelvic region are the symptoms that are similar in both diseases. Such symptoms must not be ignored and patients must go for regular checkups, in case the symptoms of UTI do not go away with the treatments.

The cost of Urinary Bladder Cancer Treatment in India varies across different cities and hospitals.