The truth about bladder cancer

By on 10-23-2015 in Uncategorized

Our bladder is a muscular, spherical organ located just above and behind the pubic bone that catches and stores urine from the two kidneys. When full, it also acts as a sensor that tells the body to urinate. This organ also has two valves that control urine as it exits the body. When cells in this organ multiply abnormally, bladder cancer occurs.
Most types of bladder cancer occur along the inside lining of the bladder. Some studies suggest cancer formation is a result of higher concentration of toxic substances in the urine. There are many possible causes of bladder cancer. According to, certain medications such as anti-diabetes drug Actos could be among the many possible causes of this disease. Apart from drugs, smoking is considered among the most common risk factors. Other factors include a family history of bladder cancer, obesity, too much alcohol consumption, older age, and exposure to certain chemicals at work.

Bladder cancer is almost always detectable during its early stages. Early signs and symptoms of bladder cancer may include:

  • Hematuria, or blood in urine. This is the primary symptom for bladder cancer. Urine usually appears black, or normal but with streaks of blood when seen under a microscope
  • Pelvic and back pain
  • Frequent and painful urination

If you think that you are at increased risk of this disease and you are experiencing one or more symptoms above, do not delay visiting your physician! A quick and accurate diagnosis today could save you from the complications of this disease in the future. Biopsy (obtaining a sample of your bladder tissue), cystoscopy (insertion of a fiber-optic tube to see the inside of your bladder), and imaging tests are just some of the many procedures in diagnosing the disease.
In most cases, bladder cancer recurs. So, bladder cancer survivors are encouraged to create a personalized plan for follow-up tests to determine if bladder cancer recurs and to know the ways on how to prevent recurrence.