About Bladder Cancer Treatments
The bladder is a flexible, expandable organ that stores urine. Like nearly every other organ in your body, the bladder is susceptible to cancer. Your doctor will take into consideration several things before helping you decide on a treatment for bladder cancer. Many options exist for those who are suffering with bladder cancer.
Risks for Bladder Cancer
No definitive cause of bladder cancer is known, however researchers have discovered some risk factors that might increase your risk of bladder cancer. The risks include:
- Smoking
- Race – Caucasians show the highest risk for bladder cancer
- Gender - males are four times more likely to develop bladder cancer
- Genetics
- Cyclophosphamide and arsenic – cylclophosphamide is used in the treatment of lymphoma and shows some increase risk for bladder cancer in those who have been treated with it.
- Chronic bladder inflammation – those who suffer repeated bladder infections, kidney stones and bladder stones could be at a higher risk.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer can be difficult to detect and to diagnose. Symptoms can mimic those that are associated with other minor bladder disorders. Some symptoms to watch for include:
- Blood in the urine - this could cause a red or pinkish color to the urine or there could be small blood clots
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating or incomplete urination
- Pain when urinating
Treatments for Bladder Cancer
Treatments can include:
- Surgery – this option is used mainly when the cancer has infiltrated the deeper layers of the bladder.
- Biological therapy – sometimes called immunotherapy. This type of therapy encourages your own immune system to help fight the cancer cells. Typically, drugs are delivered directly to the bladder. This is called intravesical therapy.
- Chemotherapy – this method introduces drugs to your body, which kill cancer cells. This is also known as a systemic therapy; meaning it affects the whole body since the drugs are carried through the blood stream. Side effects can be hard to tolerate for some.
- Radiation therapy –Known as a targeted therapy, high-energy beams are aimed through the skin to the cancer location. These beams shrink or destroy cancer cells.