I. Why will you get bladder tumors: The risk of bladder cancer increases with age instead. Before the age of 40 bladder cancer is extremely rare. Bladder cancer occurs more often in men than in women. Smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer by four times. About one-third of bladder cancers are associated with smoking. Some of the chemicals released by burning tobacco enter the bloodstream and are excreted in the urine. These chemicals (carcinogens) in the lining of the bladder stimulate cancer formation. Some industrial and environmental chemicals have also been linked to bladder cancer. High-risk jobs include the dye, rubber, paint and leather industries. Previous radiation or chemotherapy treatment can increase the risk of bladder cancer. Prolonged irritation of the mucous membrane lining the bladder by a catheter that is left in place for a long time may also cause bladder cancer. What are the signs of bladder cancer? How can I detect its presence? Most bladder cancers will alert the patient with blood in the urine. Blood flowing in the urine is usually visible to the naked eye (hematuria) and is not characterized by pain. In some cases, the bleeding is too small to stain the urine and can only be detected with a test strip or microscopic examination (microscopic hematuria). Carcinoma that extends within the epidermis (carcinoma in situ) can cause frequent urination and stinging pain, which can be difficult to distinguish from bladder infection. Tumors and blood clots can obstruct the passage of urine out of the bladder, causing difficulty in urination. Bladder cancer can invade the ureter and prevent urine from draining from the kidneys, which may cause back pain. Bladder cancer may have cells that break off and fall into the urine, which can be found by cytology. Cystoscopy is usually required to make a definitive determination. Under cystoscopy, any bladder cancer can be seen and a small sample (biopsy) can be taken from the tumor for examination by a pathologist. An intravenous urography is done to see if there are ureteral and renal tumors associated with the bladder cancer. If the cancer is extensive in the bladder, CT or MRI may be performed to determine if the cancer has spread outside the bladder or to the adjacent lymph nodes. How to know if there is bladder tumor? 1.Blood in urine should be alert to the possibility of bladder tumor (especially if the blood is visible to the eyes). 2.B ultrasound examination can understand the location, size, number and depth of infiltration of tumor, and determine the clinical stage initially. Intravenous pyelogram (IVU)
It can understand whether there is tumor in renal pelvis and ureter and the influence of bladder tumor on upper urinary tract. If there is hydronephrosis on the affected side or poorly developed kidney, it often indicates that the tumor has invaded the ureteral orifice. CT and MRI
CT and MRI are mostly used for invasive cancer, which can detect the depth of tumor infiltration into the bladder wall and the local metastasis of enlarged lymph nodes. Cystoscopy is a means to confirm the diagnosis of bladder cancer, which can directly observe the location, size, number, morphology, tumor with or without a base, and initially estimate the degree of basal infiltration. The relationship between tumor and ureteral orifice and bladder neck can be found in the examination. Pathological biopsy can be taken during cystoscopy to confirm whether it belongs to bladder tumor.