Worldwide, bladder cancer ranks fourth among the most common solid tumors in men and seventh in women. In China, bladder cancer is still one of the most common malignant tumors of the urinary system, most of which originate from the metastatic epithelium. In recent years, the incidence rate of bladder cancer in some cities in China has shown a steady increasing trend. The preferred age of bladder cancer is 51-70 years old, and the peak incidence is 65 years old.
So how does bladder cancer actually occur?
It is a widely accepted view that viruses or certain chemical carcinogens act on the body to activate the original oncogene and inactivate the oncogene to cause cancer.
Who are more likely to develop bladder cancer?
Currently, smoking and occupational exposure to aromatic amines are considered to be clear risk factors for bladder cancer. The risk of bladder cancer in smokers is two to four times higher than in nonsmokers,
The risk of developing bladder cancer is related to the number of cigarettes smoked, the duration of smoking and the degree of inhalation. Long-term workers in the production of dyes, rubber, aluminum, leather, painters and frequent users of dyes can increase the risk of bladder cancer, which is related to the presence of aromatic compounds in these materials. Other risk factors associated with the development of bladder cancer include: immediate family members of patients with bladder cancer; carcinogens in drinking water (mainly chlorinated substances for water disinfection); long-term coffee consumption; heavy consumption of painkillers containing finasteride and patients receiving cyclophosphamide chemotherapy; chronic local irritation (long-term urinary tract infection, bladder stones, urinary tract obstruction); severe schistosome infection in Egypt, etc.
Clinical manifestations More than 80% of patients with bladder cancer have hematuria as the first symptom, which is manifested as intermittent painless full-blown meatus hematuria. When accompanied with infection or when the tumor is located in the bladder triangle, urinary tract irritation symptoms such as urinary frequency, urinary urgency and urinary pain may appear. When the tumor infiltrates the ureter to produce obstruction, it may cause ureteral effusion and dilatation, and then cause hydronephrosis. Generally speaking, any person above 40 years old who has intermittent painless full course carnal hematuria should consider the possibility of urinary system tumor, mainly bladder cancer. In addition, when symptoms such as frequent, urgent and painful urination occur and there is no clear evidence of infection, you should promptly seek medical attention for a comprehensive examination.
Examination of bladder cancer usually follows the concept from simple to complex and from non-invasive to invasive. Routine examination methods include urine routine and urine exfoliative cell examination, among which urine exfoliative cell examination can be used as a screening and early diagnosis of bladder cancer. X-rays of the upper urinary tract, namely abdominal plain films and intravenous urography, are performed to confirm the absence of tumors in the kidneys and ureters. In patients with high suspicion of bladder cancer, doctors will first consider cystoscopy, which has the advantage of providing direct visualization of the inside of the bladder, while allowing for the clamping of several pieces of tissue for pathological examination: not only can the diagnosis be confirmed, but the type of tumor and depth of infiltration can be further defined. For patients who are ready to undergo surgery, CT examinations can be performed to help with preoperative staging and diagnosis.
Treatment of bladder cancer For patients who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, what methods are available for treatment? Surgery is the main treatment modality for limited stage bladder cancer, including transurethral cystectomy treatment with postoperative intravesical infusion of different immunomodulators or chemotherapeutic drugs; radical cystectomy with preoperative and postoperative systemic chemotherapy can be used selectively to improve the efficacy. Systemic chemotherapy is another important treatment modality, mainly used for metastatic bladder cancer or locally advanced bladder cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Commonly used drugs include cisplatin, methotrexate, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, etc.
As the saying goes, prevention is always more important than treatment in the important issue of fighting cancer. You may not be able to change your genes, but you can still reduce your chances of developing bladder cancer by improving your lifestyle. For example, quitting smoking immediately can reduce the risk of many types of tumors; drinking more water, preferably more than 2,000ml a day; and maintaining an optimistic and positive mindset.