Pain, burning sensation during urination, or having to urinate more than usual are uncomfortable and inconvenient. These symptoms can be from urinary tract infections or other minor ailments, but they can also be warning signs of something more serious, such as bladder cancer.
What Is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer occurs when the urothelial cells in your bladder grow out of control. As these cells develop, they form tumors. These tumors can spread to other parts of the body. Bladder cancer is the cause of more than 16,000 deaths a year. It is much more common in men than in women. Men have a 1 in 28 chance of developing bladder cancer, while women have only a 1 in 91 chance.
Early Signs of Bladder Cancer
Fortunately, bladder cancer is very treatable if you catch it early. However, you should always see your urologist for any possible symptoms. These are the earliest signs of bladder cancer:
Blood or blood clots in your urine – In the earliest stages of bladder cancer, you may have bleeding but no pain. However, the blood can be enough to change the color of your urine, or it may be invisible, and your doctor may find it during a routine urinalysis.
Pain or burning during urination – This can be caused by tumors that form from cancer cells in your bladder lining.
Frequent urination or feeling like you need to urinate throughout the night – Tumors forming in your bladder can irritate and prevent it from holding as much urine as it should.
Advanced Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Since early bladder cancer doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms or discomfort, it can be missed until it reaches more advanced stages. Symptoms of advanced bladder cancer include:
Having difficulty urinating – If you have more advanced tumors from bladder cancer, it can cause obstructions in your urinary tract, making it difficult to urinate. It can also increase the risk of kidney failure.
Lower back pain on one side of the body – A tumor spreading into nearby tissues, such as your pubic bone or flank area, causes this.
Loss of appetite or weight loss – This can indicate that bladder cancer has spread to other organs such as lymph nodes, lungs, liver, or kidneys.
Fatigue or weakness – Cancer cells use nutrients from your body, preventing your cells and organs from functioning correctly. The result is fatigue and weakness.
Swollen feet – Bladder cancer cells can prevent lymph fluid from draining, causing fluid to build up in your legs, and resulting in foot swelling.
Bone pain – If bladder cancer spreads to your bones, it can cause skeletal complications such as bone pain and fractures.
Tests to Check for Bladder Cancer
There are a variety of diagnostic tests your urologist may use if they suspect you have bladder cancer. These include:
Cystoscopy – Your urologist will insert a small tube with a lens inside your urethra. They can use the lens to examine your urethra and bladder for signs of disease.
Biopsy – During the cystoscopy, your urologist can collect a cell sample from your bladder for testing.
Examine a urine sample – Your urologist will look at a urine sample under a microscope.
Imaging tests – During imaging tests, which may include a CT urogram or a retrograde pyelogram, your urologist can examine the structure of your urinary tract for signs of cancer.
When to See a Urologist
You should see your urologist if you have any early or late warning signs of bladder cancer. The compassionate, knowledgeable physicians at Norman Urology Associates can determine if bladder cancer is causing your symptoms and develop a treatment plan. Please contact us so we can help.