O bladder cancer It is a disease that affects the urinary bladder and is caused by the disordered, uncontrollable and aggressive growth of the cells that form the bladder. Among its symptoms are the presence of blood in the urine and changes in urinary habits.
Bladder cancer can only be diagnosed by a doctor, based on the symptoms presented by the patient as well as imaging, laboratory tests and biopsies. Treatment mainly involves surgery to remove tumor tissue, which may involve partial or total removal of the bladder.
Read too: Are all tumors cancer?
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about bladder cancer
- 2 - What is bladder cancer?
- 3 - Causes of bladder cancer
- 4 - Symptoms of bladder cancer
- 5 - Diagnosis of bladder cancer
- 6 - Treatment of bladder cancer
Bladder cancer summary
- Bladder cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells in the urinary bladder.
- Smoking is one of its main causes.
- Among the symptoms are the presence of blood in the urine and changes in urinary habits.
- The diagnosis is made only by a doctor, based on symptoms as well as complementary tests.
- The treatment is done by surgery that involves the removal of the tumor tissue.
What is bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer is a disease caused by changes in the cells present in the urinary bladder, which initiate a disorderly and uncontrollable growth process, forming tumors that can spread to other regions of the body. the bladder cancer can be classified into two types:
- Superficial or non-muscle invasive: when the cells that form the tumor are confined to the tissue lining the bladder.
- Invasive muscle: when tumor cells grow beyond the tissue lining the bladder, invading the muscle wall and spreading to adjacent organs.
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Bladder cancer causes
O Smoking is one of the main factors related to the occurrence of bladder cancer. White men are also more likely to develop this type of cancer at an older age. Another important factor is exposure to chemical agents, such as pesticides, aromatic amines, benzene, benzidine, chromium/chromates, tobacco, metal dust, oils, petroleum, antineoplastic drugs and paints.
Bladder cancer symptoms
You main symptoms of bladder cancer are:
- Blood in the urine: it is one of the first signs in most cases. The presence of blood changes the color of the urine, which may appear orange or even dark red. It is important to pay attention to the fact that blood may be present in the urine on some days and absent on others, or even not visible to the naked eye, being only detected in urine tests.
- Change in urinary habits: bladder cancer can cause changes in the frequency and amount of urination, as well as symptoms when urinating. In this way, one can detect an increase in urinary frequency, a feeling of pain or burning when urinating, and a frequent desire to urinate even when the bladder is not completely full. Difficulty urinating is also a characteristic symptom, even if there is a will to.
- Other possible symptoms: backache; inability to urinate; loss of appetite and weight; weakness; and swelling in the feet.
Read too: Urinary tract infection - what causes it and what are the symptoms
Bladder cancer diagnosis
The diagnosis of bladder cancer it is done only by the doctor, through the analysis of the symptoms presented by the patient as well as exams.
At first, the doctor starts a process of gathering information about the symptoms presented. by the patient, possible risk factors, family history, among other information that he deems relevant.
Based on this, physical examinations will be carried out and, later, imaging, laboratory tests and biopsies to confirm the disease.
Bladder cancer treatment
The treatment of bladder cancer, often requires surgical intervention, and the type of procedure to be adopted depends on the stage of the disease. Surgery involves removing the cancerous tissue, and the intervention can range from removing the areas superficially affected to more invasive procedures involving partial or total removal of the bladder.
A transurethral surgery, for example, is a procedure performed to remove more superficial tumors that are in their initial stages. In this procedure, abnormal tissues are removed from the urethra, using specific equipment for this purpose. Still, the remaining cancer cells are destroyed by fulguration, in which the base of the tumor is burned, or else by a high-energy laser.
Already the cystectomy It is a procedure performed in invasive tumors that are in more advanced stages of development. Cystectomy can be partial, performed in cases where the tumor has invaded the muscle layer, but has not spread over large areas of the bladder. In these cases, the bladder is preserved and only the affected part is removed. On the other hand, radical cystectomy is performed in cases where the tumor has spread to several areas of the bladder, making it necessary to completely remove the tumor. organ.
In cases where the bladder is completely removed, it is necessary that the patient also undergo a bladder reconstruction procedure so that urine continues to be stored and eliminated from the body.
Sources
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY. Bladder cancer signs and symptoms. Available in: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/bladder-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH. What is Cancer? Available in: https://www.gov.br/inca/pt-br/assuntos/cancer/o-que-e-cancer.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH. bladder cancer. Available in: https://www.gov.br/inca/pt-br/assuntos/cancer/tipos/bexiga.
ONCOGUIDE. Bladder cancer surgery. Available in: http://www.oncoguia.org.br/conteudo/cirurgia-para-cancer-de-bexiga/1909/203/.
ONCOGUIDE. Bladder cancer diagnosis. Available in: http://www.oncoguia.org.br/conteudo/diagnostico/657/120/.
ONCOGUIDE. Bladder cancer: what are the causes, symptoms and treatments. Available in: http://www.oncoguia.org.br/conteudo/cancer-de-bexiga-quais-as-causas-sintomas-e-tratamento/15159/42/.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOZZA, Nicole Fernanda. "Bladder cancer"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/doencas/cancer-de-bexiga.htm. Accessed on August 30, 2023.
Click here and find out more about cancer. Learn about its types in our list, methods of prevention and treatment, as well as its emergence process.
Have you heard about urinary incontinence? Click here, understand what it is and learn about its causes and treatment.
Have you heard about urinary tract infection? Click here to learn more about this problem, which mostly affects women.
Expand your knowledge about the urinary system, an important system for controlling the internal balance of our body.
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