Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor in urology, which is often not mainly manifested by hematuria, which appears intermittently and is often ignored because there is no other discomfort at the beginning, and is only discovered when it appears again. Therefore, once blood in urine is detected, it should be seen in time.
There are various types of bladder tumors, the most common being uroepithelial carcinoma, which grows on the surface of the bladder, similar to trees in daily life. Most of them present as low-grade malignant tumors, and the roots of such tumors are shallow. About 1/4 of patients have more malignant tumors, and these tumors usually grow deeper, often into the bladder muscle.
Bladder cancer is a malignant tumor; therefore, those with tumors confined to the bladder usually require surgical treatment. There are two options: preservation of the bladder and removal of the bladder. For low-grade malignant tumors with small tumor extent, bladder-preserving surgery can be used. Specialized equipment is often used to enter the bladder through the urethra to remove the tumor, and after tumor removal, it is combined with intravesical irrigation to prevent tumor recurrence. If the tumor recurs repeatedly after treatment by the above methods; if the tumor is large, malignant and deep-growing; or if the tumor is extensive, bladder removal is usually required at this time.
Cystectomy is one of the most complicated surgeries in urology. Since the bladder is an organ for storing urine, after cystectomy, it is often necessary to cut part of the intestine to make a new container for storing urine, which requires more joints to be sutured, a large operation, a long recovery time from surgery and a high risk. After undergoing this procedure, the patient’s lifestyle may change, often requiring a pouch on the stomach. For some patients who are in poor health or do not want to have their bladder removed, a combination of bladder preservation measures may be tried first after a detailed evaluation.