Bladder Cancer: Don't be afraid, let's talk about it

Have you ever noticed that the color of your urine has changed? Maybe it's a pinkish-red color... Or do you feel like you need to urinate frequently, but it feels like you can't? Although we usually don't pay attention to these things, sometimes they can be important signals that our body is giving us. That's one of those important topics, bladder cancer, that we're going to talk about today. Don't be afraid, the most important thing is to be aware of this.

Simply put, what is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer. It starts in the cells that line the inside of our bladder. Think of your bladder as a small sac-like organ that collects and stores your urine . There are many ways to treat this cancer, including surgery to remove the cancer cells.

But the most important thing to remember is that bladder cancer can recur after treatment. Therefore, it is essential for a person with this condition to continue to be in touch with their doctor and undergo regular follow-ups. If this is detected early, that is, if the cancer is treated before it spreads to other parts of the body, successful results can be achieved. However, even if it is initially cured, there is a 75% chance of recurrence. Therefore, it is very important to be vigilant.

How does this condition affect our body?

Your bladder is located between your hip bones, below your kidneys. Urine produced by your kidneys collects in this bladder. It is lined on the inside with a special membrane called the urothelium. The cells in this membrane can stretch when the bladder fills with urine and contract again when it empties. It is like a rubber balloon. It can usually hold about 2 cups of urine.

Bladder cancer occurs when certain cells in the lining of the bladder (urothelium) develop mutations and begin to divide abnormally and uncontrollably. These abnormal cells grow together to form tumors. If left untreated, these cancer cells can spread through the walls of the bladder to nearby lymph nodes and from there to other organs, such as the bones, lungs, or liver.

What are the types of bladder cancer?

There are several types of bladder cancer. These are classified according to the type of cell in which the cancer begins. Let's look at the main types.

In addition, doctors classify this cancer in another way, which is based on how deep the cancer has spread.

• Non-invasive: This means that the cancer is limited to the surface of the inner wall of the bladder.
• Non-muscle-invasive: The cancer has gone a little deeper, but has not entered the muscle layer.
• Muscle-invasive: In this case, the cancer has entered the muscle layer of the bladder. It may have spread beyond there. This is a more serious case.

Who is most likely to see this disease?

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men. Men are about four times more likely to develop it than women.

This cancer usually affects people over the age of 55. The average age of someone diagnosed with the disease is about 73 years old.

What are the main symptoms of bladder cancer?

The main and most common symptom of this disease is blood in the urine (hematuria). However, don't be afraid to assume that just because you have blood in your urine, it's cancer. It can also be caused by other medical conditions (e.g., urinary stones, infections). However, if you see blood in your urine for any reason, you should definitely see a doctor immediately.

Let's look at the other symptoms.

What are the causes and risk factors for bladder cancer?

Even doctors can't say exactly why bladder cells turn into cancer cells. However, several risk factors have been identified that increase the risk of this.

• Smoking: This is the main and biggest risk factor. A person who smokes cigarettes has twice the risk of developing this cancer as a non-smoker. Smoking cigars, pipes, and inhaling secondhand smoke also increases the risk.
• Radiation Exposure: If you have had radiation therapy to the abdomen as treatment for another cancer, that is also a risk.
• Chemotherapy: Some chemotherapy drugs may also increase the risk.
• Exposure to certain chemicals: People who work with chemicals, especially those used in dyes, rubber, leather, paints, some fabrics, and hairdressing supplies, are at higher risk.
• Frequent urinary tract infections: People who suffer from conditions such as urinary tract infections and urinary stones for a long time are at risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma.
• Long-term use of a catheter: People who have a catheter in place for a long time for some reason also have this risk.

How does the doctor diagnose this? (Diagnosis)

When you go to see a doctor with symptoms, he or she will perform a series of tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Step-by-step tests

1. Urinalysis: The first step is to test a urine sample. This can help determine if there is an infection or not.

2. Cytology: The cells in the urine sample are examined under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells.

3. Cystoscopy: This is the main test used to diagnose the disease. In this, a pencil-sized, camera-equipped tube (cystoscope) is inserted through the urethra to examine the entire inside of the bladder. Sometimes a special blue light and dye are used to clearly identify cancer cells. At this time, a small piece of tissue (biopsy) may also be taken from a suspicious area and sent for examination.

If these tests confirm the presence of cancer, further tests are performed to learn more about the cancer.

• Transurethral resection of bladder tumor `(TURBT)`: This is done for both diagnosis and treatment. A device similar to a cystoscope is used to cut and remove the tumor in the bladder. The removed tumor is examined to see if the cancer has spread to the muscles.
• MRI and CT scans: These types of scans can check to see if the cancer has spread beyond the bladder to surrounding organs.
• Chest X-ray and Bone Scan: These tests are done to see if the cancer has spread to the lungs or bones.

The doctor determines the stage of the cancer based on the information obtained from each of these tests.

What are the treatments for this?

There are four main treatments for bladder cancer. Sometimes one or more of these treatments may be used together.

1. Surgery

This is the most commonly used treatment. The type of surgery performed varies depending on the stage of the cancer.

• TURBT: The ``TURBT'' procedure we talked about earlier is also used as a treatment if the cancer has not spread to the muscle. The tumor is cut out and removed or burned using high-energy electricity.
• Radical cystectomy: If the cancer has spread beyond the bladder or if there are tumors throughout the bladder, the entire bladder is surgically removed. In men, the prostate gland may also be removed, and in women, the uterus and ovaries may also be removed. After the bladder is removed, a urinary diversion is created to allow urine to drain.

2. Chemotherapy

These are drugs that kill cancer cells. Sometimes these drugs are given directly into the bladder through a tube. This is called intravesical therapy . This can reduce damage to healthy cells.

3. Immunotherapy

This involves stimulating your body's own immune system to attack cancer cells. One of the most commonly used treatments is the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.

4. Radiation Therapy

This involves using high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It is sometimes used as an alternative to surgery.

5. Targeted Therapy

This is a relatively new treatment method. It involves giving drugs that target only the genetic changes that turn healthy cells into cancer cells.

How do you take care of yourself?

Living with bladder cancer can be challenging, especially because it can come back. There are a few things you can do.

• Follow a heart-healthy diet: Include low-fat meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, and a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
• Eat high-fiber foods: This will help with digestive problems caused by treatment.
• Exercise: Light exercise helps reduce stress.
• Connect with others: There are others who are dealing with this type of illness. Sharing their experiences and talking to them can be a great source of mental strength for you.

Bladder Cancer, Blood in Urine, Cancer Symptoms, Cancer Treatment, Cigarettes, Urinary Tract Infections