Early symptoms of bladder cancer

Written by Xu Chun Hua
Urology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Hematuria is the most common and earliest symptom of bladder cancer, with 85% of patients experiencing intermittent gross hematuria which can decrease or stop on its own, often giving patients a false impression of improvement or cure, thus delaying treatment. Sometimes, hematuria is also found under a microscope, and the amount of bleeding is not necessarily consistent with the size, number, or malignancy of the tumor. The hematuria from bladder tumors can initially be mild, and other symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination may also occur; these are all manifestations of bladder tumors.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Does bladder cancer require the removal of the bladder?

Whether or not to remove the entire bladder in cases of bladder cancer depends on whether the tumor has invaded the base layer and whether there is distant metastasis. For non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, where the muscle layer is not invaded and there is no distant metastasis, typically found in stage 0 and stage 1 bladder cancer patients, there is no need for complete removal of the bladder. The standard treatment in such cases generally involves transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. If the tumor has invaded the base layer but there is no distant metastasis, termed muscle-invasive bladder cancer, patients in this category require radical cystectomy, which involves the removal of the entire bladder. If there is distant metastasis, termed metastatic bladder cancer, surgical treatment is not pursued; instead, palliative chemotherapy is the primary approach.

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Written by Guan Hai Fang
Urology
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How is bladder cancer diagnosed?

Firstly, imaging examinations such as ultrasound can be conducted, which if reveal tumors larger than 0.5 cm can serve as an initial screening for patients; IVU (Intravenous Urography) can show larger tumors as filling defects. Cystoscopy can also be performed by inserting a cystoscope to directly examine the bladder's shape, size, etc. If it appears round, with clear boundaries and without erosion, it is generally benign; if it has a cauliflower-like or seaweed-like appearance, it is generally malignant bladder cancer. Urine tests can also be conducted; cells from tumors found in fresh urine can lead to cytological examination of urine as an initial screening. Additionally, if conditions permit, a physical examination including a bimanual examination of the bladder can be done to preliminarily assess the tumor's size, the extent of invasion, depth, and its relationship with the pelvic wall.

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Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
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Can bladder cancer be detected by color ultrasound?

Bladder cancer can be detected by color ultrasound. Bladder cancer is one of the most common tumors in the urinary system, and its typical clinical manifestation is painless gross hematuria, often occurring in the bladder trigone area. Normally, the bladder appears as an echo-free spherical shadow on ultrasound. If one sees one or more papillary or cauliflower-like moderate echoes protruding into the cavity within the echo-free area, with a wide base of the tumor, varying tumor sizes, rough surfaces, and no movement with the change of body position, bladder cancer should be considered. Early bladder cancer is characterized by localized thickening of the bladder wall and disappearance of the normal structure of the bladder wall. On CDFI (Color Doppler Flow Imaging), blood flow signals can be observed at the base of the tumor.

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Written by Zou De Bo
Urology
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Is a bladder tumor the same as bladder cancer?

Not all bladder tumors are bladder cancer, as we all know, all tumors can be benign or malignant. Of course, bladder tumors can also be benign or malignant. Only malignant bladder tumors are considered bladder cancer. If some bladder tumors are benign, they cannot be called bladder cancer. Therefore, no matter how a bladder tumor is diagnosed, whether it is benign or malignant, it should be treated as soon as possible.

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Written by Zhou Zi Hua
Oncology
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What are the symptoms of late-stage bladder cancer?

The symptoms of late-stage bladder cancer include: 1. Difficulty urinating. Due to the large size of the tumor, its location at the neck of the bladder, or the formation of blood clots, there can be blockage of urine flow, difficulty urinating, and even urinary retention. 2. Bladder irritation symptoms. Early-stage bladder often shows fewer urinary irritation symptoms, but when the tumor occurs in the trigone area of the bladder, urinary irritation symptoms may appear earlier. There are also symptoms of upper urinary tract obstruction, such as when the cancer invades the ureteral orifice, causing dilation and accumulation of fluid in the renal pelvis and ureter, and even infections leading to backache, waist pain, fever, etc. Additionally, there are general symptoms, including nausea, reduced appetite, fever, weight loss, anemia, cachexia, and more.