What is the main cause of bladder cancer?
Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. This is because tobacco contains cancer-causing (carcinogenic) chemicals. If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine.
Does bladder cancer spread quickly?
While it does not invade the tissues, these are usually “high grade” and have the potential to spread quickly. All bladder cancers can become invasive, so treatment is very important.
What chemicals can cause bladder cancer?
Chemicals called aromatic amines, such as benzidine and beta-naphthylamine, which are sometimes used in the dye industry, can cause bladder cancer. Workers in other industries that use certain organic chemicals also may have a higher risk of bladder cancer.
Is bladder cancer a death sentence?
Bladder cancer is not a death sentence. With chemotherapy and a healthy lifestyle, many people have recovered and are enjoying life cancer-free. After years of successful treatment for bladder cancer, the medical industry has learned a lot about bladder cancer.
Do you feel ill with bladder cancer?
Feeling weak or fatigued: You may feel lethargic and extremely tired a lot of the time. Bone pain: If your cancer has spread to the bone, it can cause bone pain or a bone fracture.
Is bladder cancer curable if caught early?
What are the most common treatments for bladder cancer? Bladder cancer is highly treatable when it is diagnosed in the early stages.
Can you have bladder cancer for years and not know it?
Even after reporting the problem to their doctors, blood in the urine may be initially misdiagnosed. It may be seen as a symptom of post-menopausal bleeding, simple cystitis or as a urinary tract infection. As a result, a bladder cancer diagnosis can be overlooked for a year or more.
Do bladder cancer symptoms come on suddenly?
It can happen suddenly and may come and go. Your pee (urine) may look pink, red or sometimes brown. You may see streaks or clots of blood in it.
How long will you live if you have bladder cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, the relative survival rates for all stages of bladder cancer are: 5 years: 77 percent. 10 years: 70 percent. 15 years: 65 percent.
Does bladder cancer show up in blood work?
Tests to diagnose bladder cancer
If bladder cancer is suspected, these tests may be performed to diagnose the disease: Physical exam. Blood test: Blood samples are used to measure certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body.
How long can you live with stage 1 bladder cancer?
Stage 1. Around 80 out of 100 people (around 80%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed. Stage 1 means that the cancer has started to grow into the connective tissue beneath the bladder lining.