Convenient Care Close to Home
Bladder cancer involves the abnormal growth of cells in the bladder, which stores urine. Over time, the cancerous cells form tumors. This form of cancer is highly treatable with early detection and expert care.
The Commission on Cancer has accredited St. Luke’s Center for Cancer Care because of the quality of our care and our patient outcomes. We follow the same guidelines for bladder cancer treatment regimens as academic medical centers, but all our care and team members are in the same convenient location, which lets us collaborate more easily on your treatment. Our team work together in tumor boards that meet frequently so we ensure our patients receive the best possible options for care.We participate in a wide range of clinical trials to help patients access treatment options not widely available elsewhere. We can often see you weeks sooner than other centers, so you can get the care you need sooner. And we coordinate your treatment appointments to minimize your wait times.
Types of Bladder Cancer We Treat
We classify bladder cancer by where it begins in the bladder. There are four main types of bladder cancer:
- Urothelial carcinoma (also known as transitional cell carcinoma): This type forms in the urothelial cells, which form the inner lining of the bladder wall. Urothelial cells also line several other parts of the urinary tract (the body’s system for draining urine). This is the most common form of bladder cancer.
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This type is rare and usually forms after a long-term bladder infection or irritation.
- Adenocarcinoma: This rare type can form in the glands that line the bladder.
- Small-cell carcinoma of the bladder: This rare type forms in the neuroendocrine cells, which release hormones in response to signals from the nervous system.
How We Diagnose Bladder Cancer
If your provider suspects that you have bladder cancer, we may need to do several tests to diagnose it. These tests include:
- Urinalysis: This involves checking a sample of your urine to rule out infections, as well as a test called urine cytology (which checks for cancer cells).
- Cystoscopy: Your doctor will insert a cystoscope (a small, narrow tube with a special lens) to view the inside of your urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) and bladder for signs of cancer.
- Biopsy: During a cystoscopy, your doctor may take a small sample of cells for testing.
If these tests show that you have bladder cancer, we’ll likely need to perform other tests to help us learn more about your cancer. These include:
- Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT): Similar to a cystoscopy, and sometimes done at the same time, this minimally invasive procedure involves your doctor taking bladder tumors for more testing. This is also an option for treating bladder cancer.
- Imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) scans , magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and X-rays, to create images of the bladder and see if the cancer has spread elsewhere.
We’ll use what we learn from these tests to stage your cancer. This helps us know what options are best for you as we plan your treatment.
Our Bladder Cancer Treatment Options
You and your doctor will work together on a customized treatment plan based on your unique needs. Your treatment plan may include:
Surgery
Removing the cancerous cells is the main treatment for bladder cancer. The TURBT procedure often is enough if the cancer hasn’t spread. We can also use a procedure called fulguration, which involves using a small wire loop to burn the tumor away with electricity.
If the cancer has spread, you may need:
- Partial cystectomy: This involves removing part of the bladder.
- Radical cystectomy: This involves removing the bladder and surrounding organs — the prostate and glands that produce semen for men or the uterus, ovaries and part of the vagina for women.
Other Treatment Options
We use a variety of other treatments for bladder cancer, either before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to lower your risk for the cancer to come back. These treatments include:
Chemotherapy: Your doctor may recommend intravesical chemotherapy (medications we deliver directly to the bladder) or systemic chemotherapy (whole-body chemotherapy).
Radiation therapy: We may use radiation treatment instead of surgery or in combination with TURBT and chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy: We can help your immune system better find and destroy cancerous cells.
Targeted therapy: We can target the molecules in the body that cancer cells need to grow and spread.
Bladder Cancer Symptoms
The first symptom of bladder cancer that you’re likely to notice is blood in the urine. However, this is also a symptom of other conditions, so having blood in your urine doesn’t necessarily mean you have bladder cancer.
Other symptoms of bladder cancer include:
- Frequent or painful urination
- Trouble with urine flow (weak flow, starting and stopping, etc.)
- Frequent bladder infections
- Low back pain
- Unexplained weight loss
If you notice any of these symptoms, talk with your doctor right away.
Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
Several factors can increase your risk for developing bladder cancer. These include:
- Age (most people diagnosed with bladder cancer are older than 55)
- Exposure to certain chemicals, including arsenic and chemicals used to make dyes, leather, paint, rubber and textiles
- Having chronic bladder infections
- History of Lynch syndrome (a genetic condition that can increase your risk for several types of cancer)
- Personal or family history of cancer
- Previous cancer treatments, including receiving the chemotherapy medication cyclophosphamide or previous radiation treatments in the pelvis
- Smoking