Can urine odor be a sign of bladder cancer?

Written by Chen Feng
Urology
Updated on January 02, 2025
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Urine with an unusual odor may be caused by bladder cancer, but the presence of an odor alone cannot be used to diagnose bladder cancer. Clinically, urine with an odor is commonly associated with urinary tract infections, as patients with such infections tend to have a higher amount of inflammatory secretions in their urine. Additionally, patients with urinary tract infections may lose some body water through sweating, leading to more concentrated urine, which can increase the odor. Bladder cancer patients are more susceptible to urinary tract infections, so they may also experience odorous urine. Clinically, bladder cancer is diagnosed through a combination of the patient's symptoms and supportive diagnostic tests. In the early stages of the disease, bladder cancer typically presents as painless hematuria (blood in the urine) that persists for an extended period. A routine urinalysis can be performed to check for elevated red blood cells in the urine. If bladder cancer is suspected, a cystoscopy can be conducted to identify any masses in the bladder and take biopsy samples for pathological examination. The presence of tumor cells in these samples generally confirms a diagnosis of bladder cancer.

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What medicine is infused into the bladder for bladder cancer?

Postoperative intravesical chemotherapy infusion is very common in the treatment of bladder cancer. Common drugs used for infusion chemotherapy include mitomycin and anthracyclines such as epirubicin or pirarubicin. Gemcitabine is also frequently used for this purpose. The related side effects generally include irritation symptoms of the bladder, although some patients may experience relatively mild side effects.

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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.

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How is bladder cancer caused?

The causes of bladder cancer are not very clear so far, and they are related to factors such as environment, genetics, and lifestyle habits. However, two major risk factors are quite clear: one is smoking, and the other is long-term exposure to aromatic amines, which are occupational factors that are significant risks for causing bladder cancer.

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Is bladder cancer contagious?

Bladder cancer is not contagious, so there is no need to worry about that. Bladder cancer occurs when there is a cancerous transformation of bladder tissue, leading to the formation of bladder tumors. If the tumors are malignant, they are generally termed bladder cancer. Causes of bladder cancer can include long-term exposure to certain carcinogens, such as occupations involving dyes, leather, or paintwork. Another carcinogenic factor is smoking, which is related to about one-third of bladder cancer cases. Chronic infection or prolonged irritation by foreign bodies can also increase the risk of bladder cancer, as seen in cases with bladder stones, bladder diverticula, or chronic cystitis.

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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.