Bladder cancer mostly affects people who are over 50 and is twice as likely to occur in men as in women. In the UK, over 10,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed each year, making it the fourth most common cancer in men and the 12th most common in women. Nearly 5000 people die from bladder cancer each year.
Bladder cancer occurs when cells in the bladder divide and grow in an abnormal way. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumour, affecting how the bladder works.
Please note: the information below does not constitute medical advice. If you have any concerns at all, speak to your GP or consultant.
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If you are worried about your urinary symptoms, download the My WaterWorks Medical app and fill in the questionnaire which can be presented to your GP.
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If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see your GP as soon as possible for a full diagnosis.
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The symptoms of bladder cancer are very similar to many other conditions, so it's very important that your doctor identifies the exact cause of your symptoms. Initial diagnosis includes:
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Treatment depends on the type of bladder cancer, the stage of the disease (how far it has spread) and the grade of the tumour. The doctor will also take into consideration your age and general health.
Usually removed surgically by a cystoscope (a tiny camera that allows the doctor to look inside your bladder). The cancerous growths are simply cut off at the stem. This procedure is known as a transurethral resection of a bladder tumour (TURBT).
Following this, you'll need cystoscopies every 3 to 4 months. Most follow-up cystoscopies can be carried out under local anaesthetic in your hospital's outpatient department.
If the cancer comes back, the tumours can usually be surgically removed while they are still in the early stages. However, you may also be offered anticancer drug treatment, including:
Surgery is the most common treatment for invasive cancers. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be used in addition (adjunctive therapy).
If the cancer has spread outside the bladder, or comes back after the initial treatment, the main treatment is chemotherapy. This is known as palliative chemotherapy. The aim is to try to slow the growth of the cancer. It can also help maintain a good quality of life for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the chance of a cure is rare. If you have been offered chemotherapy, discuss the pros and cons with your doctor. There are other options available to you to control your symptoms of cancer. These vary depending on your symptoms.
Speak to your GP for advice about bladder cancer, especially if you have specific concerns about your symptoms and treatment options. You can also find useful websites via our links section.
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Dr Andy Feber and Professor John Kelly – a new test to save lives and save the NHS millions
Andy and John are based at UCL and are using funding from TUF to produce a new test for bladder cancer.
Previous tests required an uncomfortable procedure, called a cystoscopy, which requires passing a small camera in a tube through the urethra and into the bladder. As well as being uncomfortable, this can cause infections.
Andy and John’s test is based on a simple urine sample which can be sent away for testing. Their testing system, UroMark, examines 150 markers in urine that are specific to bladder cancer, where previous testing only examined two or three markers.
UroMark is highly accurate – it can detect bladder cancer in 98% of cases – which means that bladder cancer can be detected earlier, which will reduce the number of hospital admissions and improve survival rates. As well as this, UroMark is cheaper than the current testing system; it is believed that this test will save the NHS around £25 million a year.
Pramit Khetrapal – testing for the reoccurrence of bladder cancer
Pramit is a researcher at UCL. He’s using his TUF funding to develop a new blood test for the reoccurrence of bladder cancer.
Between 35-50% of advanced bladder cancer patients die around two years after having had surgery to remove their bladder. In most patients, this happens because the cancer comes back.
The current theory is that the cancer has already spread from the bladder to other parts of the body before surgery, but is too small to be detected by CT scans. After patients undergo major surgery to cure the cancer by removing the bladder, this microscopic cancer deposit grows and appears on CT scans in other parts of the body.
Pramit is aiming to develop a new blood test that will find cancer-related DNA mutations in the body before they are detectable by a CT scan. If the test is successful, it may be able to detect cancer at an earlier stage, and will help doctors to select patients for treatment while the cancer is still microscopic and not visible on scans. Detecting this cancer early could mean that it is possible to treat, which could improve survival for patients with bladder cancer.
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