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Bladder Cancer

Cancer of the bladder occurs when cells in the bladder grow and divide in an abnormal way.

Quick facts about bladder cancerQuick facts about bladder cancer

There are over 10,000 cases of bladder cancer every year in the UK (3% of all cancer cases in UK)
The survival rate for 10 years or more is almost 50% and almost 50% of cases in UK are preventable, as they are caused by smoking
About 6% of bladder cancer cases in UK are caused by workplace environmental exposures
Bladder cancer is more common in men than women and more common to older people

Types of bladder cancerTypes of bladder cancer

The bladder is a muscular balloon-shaped organ that can expand and contract (get smaller) depending on how much urine is in the bladder.

The bladder is made up of four layers of tissue. The tissue that your cancer develops in helps determine the type of bladder cancer you have:

Cancer treatment therapist caring for patient.

The urothelium consists of cells that keep the urine in the bladder and prevent it being absorbed into the body. It is the first layer inside of the bladder.

Cancer treatment therapist comforting a cancer patient.

The lamina propria is next to the urothelium layer and consists of blood vessels.

The muscularis propria is the thickest of all layers and is responsible for contracting the bladder to empty urine.

The perivesical tissue surrounds all other layers of the bladder and consists mainly of fatty tissue to help protect the bladder.

Signs and symptoms of bladder cancerSigns and symptoms of bladder cancer

As signs and symptoms for bladder cancer can be similar to other conditions, it’s important to see your GP or healthcare professional if you experience any of the symptoms below. Discussing anything concerning with your doctor as soon as possible can help give you peace of mind and offer the best chance of successful treatment if you receive a bladder cancer diagnosis.

Symptoms can include:

Blood in urine – This can be in small amounts and may be brownish or red in colour. It tends to come on quickly, and can come and go
Changes in urination – Such as feeling the need to urinate more often or pain (such as a burning sensation) when urinating
Pain in the pelvis or lower back – Usually on one side
Weight loss or bone pain – If the cancer is advanced

Stages of bladder cancerStages of bladder cancer

The TNM system is used to stage bladder cancer, and it helps doctors understand what your cancer looks like. The TNM stands for:

Tumour – the depth of invasion through bladder wall
Node – is a measure of whether lymph nodes have been affected
Metastasis – the degree to which the cancer has spread to other organs of the body

The TNM information, along with other tests, helps determine the stage of your bladder cancer using the guidelines below. A biopsy of the tumour will also provide information to help your doctors ‘grade’ your cancer. This takes into account how quickly it will grow and the chance of it coming back.

Low grade

Most tumours in the bladder are considered low grade, which means the cancer cells are slow growing and do not tend to spread and look like bladder cells

High grade

These cancer cells look very different to bladder cells and tend to grow quickly and spread to other tissues in the body

Treatment for bladder cancer

There are many different types of treatment for bladder cancer. Your treatment will depend on you and your cancer.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions about bladder cancerFAQs

Is bladder cancer hereditary?

Bladder cancer is not hereditary.

What causes bladder cancer?

Smoking, workplace environmental toxins, in 50% of cases we do not know the cause, certain drugs such as cyclophosphamide chemotherapy can cause bladder cancer.

How common is bladder cancer?

There are over 10,000 cases of bladder cancer every year in the UK., 3% of total cancer cases in UK.

What can I do to decrease my risk of bladder cancer?

Reduce or stop smoking, and reduce or eliminate exposure to environmental toxins.

A healthy lifestyle should be followed as preventative measure for all cancers.

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