Hi. I'm Dr. Mark Tyson,
a urologist at Mayo Clinic.
In this video, we'll cover
the basics of bladder cancer:
What is it? Who gets it?
The symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you're looking for answers for
yourself or someone you love,
we're here to give you
the best information available.
Bladder cancer is almost always
one certain type of cancer
called urothelial carcinoma,
because it starts when
urothelial cells that line
the inside of the bladder over
multiply and become abnormal.
Most bladder cancer is caught in
the early stages and
therefore very treatable.
While bladder cancer can happen to anyone,
it affects certain groups more than others.
For instance, smokers.
As the bladder works to
filter the harmful chemicals
ingested in cigarette smoke,
it becomes damaged.
In fact, smokers are three
times more likely to get bladder cancer.
People over the age of 55 are more at risk,
as are men, more than women.
Exposure to harmful chemicals,
either at home or at work, previous cancer treatments,
chronic bladder inflammation, or
a family history of bladder cancer
can also play a role.
Bladder cancer symptoms are usually
clear and easy to notice.
If any of these symptoms
are present, it may be
worth making an appointment to see a doctor:
Blood in the urine, frequent urination,
painful urination or back pain.
Your doctor may investigate
the more common causes of the symptoms first,
or may refer you to a specialist, like
a urologist or an oncologist.
To determine if you have bladder cancer,
your doctor may start with a cystoscopy, where
a tiny camera is passed through
the urethra to see into the bladder.
If your doctor find something
suspicious, they can take
a biopsy or a cell sample that is
sent to a lab for analysis.
In some cases, your doctor may
do a urine cytology, where they
examine a urine sample under
a microscope to check for cancer cells.
Or they may even do imaging
tests of your urinary tract,
like a CT urogram
or a retrograde pyelogram.
In both procedures,
a safe dye is injected
and travels to your bladder,
illuminating the cancer cells so they
can be seen in X-ray images.
When creating
a treatment plan for bladder cancer,
your doctor is considering several factors,
including the type and stage of
cancer and your treatment preferences.
There are five types of treatment
options for bladder cancer:
Surgery to remove the cancerous tissue.
Chemotherapy, which uses cancer-cell-killing
chemicals that can
travel either locally into
the bladder or through the
whole body, if needed.
Radiation therapy, which uses
high-power beams of energy
to target cancer cells.
Targeted drug therapy focusing on blocking
specific weaknesses
present within cancer cells.
And immunotherapy, a drug treatment that helps
your immune system recognize
cancer cells and attack them.
Getting a cancer diagnosis or worrying that
cancer will return can be very stressful.
However, there are ways to feel more in
control and deal with less stress.
Stay on top of
your follow-up tests and appointments.
Even though they might feel
uncomfortable or unpleasant,
ultimately,
they can empower you and your health.
Take care of yourself
outside of your appointments.
Be good to your body with plenty of
fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
consistent exercise and
the ever important sleep.
Be good to your mind.
Try different methods to cope with stress,
like journaling or meditation.
Maybe find a support group of
cancer survivors who
understand how you're feeling.
If you'd like to learn even more
about bladder cancer,
watch our other related videos or visit
MayoClinic.org. We wish you well.