About Bladder Cancer

• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis

Risk Factors

As with most cancers, there is no definitive cause of bladder cancer. Research has found many links between heredity, diet, smoking, exposure to

environmental conditions, and other factors that increase a person’s chances of contracting bladder cancer. The following is a list of factors that may increase the risk of bladder cancer:

• Smoking - Smokers are twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as nonsmokers, making smoking the most significant risk factor. Smoking is estimated to be responsible for 47 percent of bladder cancers in men and 37 percent in women.
• Race – Caucasians are the highest risk group, being diagnosed twice as often as African Americans. Hispanics have a lower risk than both groups. African Americans tend to be diagnosed with a more advanced form of the cancer. Bladder cancer is also twice as likely to be fatal to African Americans.
• Gender – Men are four times as likely to be diagnosed as women. Bladder cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer in men, the ninth in women.
• Genetics – Some people have been shown to be genetically predisposed to be more sensitive to carcinogens and can contract cancer at higher rates.
• Cyclophosphamide and arsenic - People who have taken the drug cyclophosphamide, used in the treatment for lymphoma, are at a higher than average risk for bladder cancer. Similarly, people who use, or have used, arsenic to treat cancer and other conditions are at an increased risk.
• Age – nearly 90 percent of all cases of bladder cancer are found in people over the age of 55.
• Family history – People who have other family members that have been diagnosed with bladder cancer are at a greater risk.
• Chronic bladder inflammation – People who have had recurring bladder infections, kidney stones, and bladder stones are at a greater risk.

Symptoms

Like most cancers, bladder cancer is hard to initially diagnose. While there are several symptoms you should be aware of, many other conditions also show the same symptoms. Anyone exhibiting the following symptoms should consult a doctor immediately:

• Blood in the urine (a rusty or red hue)
• Frequent urination
• Having to urinate but are unable to
• Pain during urination
• Lower back pain.

Diagnosis

Should a doctor believe that you may have bladder cancer, there are several methods used to help make a diagnosis:

• Urinalysis– Testing the urine will help rule out infections. It will also help determine if there is blood (hematuria), sugar, bacteria, and proteins that should not be present.
• Urine cytology – Testing the urine for pathologist examination to look for any cancerous cells
• Physical exam – A doctor will examine the rectum or vagina to feel for bumps that may indicate cancerous tumors.
• Cystoscopy – A doctor uses a cystoscope (a thin camera inserted through the urethra) to examine the bladder. The cystoscope can also be used to extract suspect tissue (biopsy) to help determine the type and stage of the cancer.
• Intravenous pyelogram - A doctor injects dye into a blood vessel, which collects in the urine, making the kidneys, ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), and the bladder and then uses X-rays to find potential cancer spots.
• Imaging tests - Tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), X-rays, ultrasound, and bone scans can help a doctor determine whether the cancer has spread.