Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer is one of the most common cancers that affects people in the United States. 90% of Bladder Cancer usually occurs in older people over the age of 55. Bladder Cancer commonly begins in the cells that line the inside of your bladder.

The bladder is part of your urinary system and is a hollow, muscular organ that can stretch to store urine and squeeze to expel it out of your body. The bladder is located in your lower abdomen; its primary function is to store urine that comes from the kidneys through the ureters.

Although it's most common in the bladder, this same type of cancer can occur in other parts of the urinary tract drainage system.

In this Urology Care Foundation patient education video, learn more about bladder cancer treatment options to include immunotherapy, surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. For more information on bladder cancer or to find a urologist near you, go to UrologyHealth.org, the Urology Care Foundation's website. The Urology Care Foundation is the official foundation of the American Urological Association.

Signs and Symptoms

If you have Bladder Cancer, common signs and symptoms you may experience include:

Blood in your urine (hematuria)
Pain or burning sensation during urination
Having to urinate more frequently than usual
Having to urinate much more than usual at night time
Pelvic pain
Lower back pain
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Feeling tired and weak

Treatment

Depending upon the stage of Bladder Cancer and other factors, treatment usually includes the following:

Surgery
Intravesical Therapy
Chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy
Immunotherapy