It is one of the most common types of cancer in urology. It is the cause of death in 4% of all cancers. It is 3 times more common in men than women. It is most common between the ages of 55 and 70. It can also be seen in younger patients.
Smoking is one of the most important known causes of bladder cancer. Chronic urinary tract infections, some artificial sweeteners and some chemicals from the environment may play a role in the development of the disease. Bleeding and burning in the urine are the most common symptoms.
Frequent urination, difficulty urinating, groin and abdominal pain may be seen. First, an ultrasound is taken. In the cytological examination of the urine, cancer cells are looked for. Further investigations are performed based on the results. Definitive diagnosis is made by looking at the urinary tract and bladder with a method called cystoscopy and taking a biopsy (piece). When cancer is detected in the bladder, the first aim is to clear the tumor.
If the tumor has not descended into the deep layers of the bladder, it is quite easy to clear the cancer in the closed way (TUR). Sometimes it may be necessary to inject drugs into the bladders of patients. If the tumor is more aggressive or if it is too late, the bladder should be removed completely.
If the cancer has spread to other organs, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is applied. Even if cancer treatment is successful, the patient needs to be monitored regularly because the disease may recur.