Bladder tumors are the most common type of tumor in the urinary system. From a pathological histological point of view, tumors can occur in the various tissues that make up the bladder. They can be divided into 2 main categories: tumors that occur from epithelial tissues (e.g., metastatic epithelial tumors, adenocarcinomas, and squamous epithelial carcinomas) and other non-epithelial tumors (i.e., tumors from mesenchymal tissue). Of these, metastatic epithelial carcinomas account for 90% and squamous epithelial carcinomas or adenocarcinomas (the latter being less common) account for 10%.
Bladder cancer accounts for the majority of bladder tumors, accounting for 3% of systemic malignant tumors, and is most common between the ages of 50 and 70, with a male to female ratio of about 4:1. 86% of these tumors are derived from metastatic epithelial cells. The treatment effect of early bladder cancer and late bladder cancer is very different, so early detection of bladder cancer has a great impact on the treatment effect. Let’s get to know how to detect bladder cancer early.
What are the common symptoms of bladder cancer?
(1) Intermittent painless hematuria: hematuria is the most common symptom of bladder cancer, and more than 75% of patients seek medical attention with hematuria as the first symptom. Almost all patients have hematuria either first or later. 50% of the clinically seen carnal hematuria is caused by bladder tumor.
(2) Bladder irritation symptoms: Many people can have symptoms such as urinary frequency, urinary urgency and urinary pain. Only a small number of patients present with complaints of bladder irritation. Tumors often cause bladder muscle spasm due to co-infection or stimulation of tumor rupture, which makes bladder irritation symptoms more obvious.
(3) Difficulty in urination: A few patients may have difficulty in urination or interruption of urination, which may be due to tumor or blood clot blocking the bladder outlet.
It is not difficult to diagnose bladder cancer. Anyone over 40 years old with unexplained painless hematuria of the naked eye should think of the possibility of urinary tract tumors, among which bladder cancer is the most common.
However, when hematuria, even bladder irritation or difficulty in urination occurs, some patients are already in advanced stage. At present, most of the patients with early bladder cancer are detected by ultrasound examination through physical examination, so it is important to have regular physical examination every year. In particular, the following groups are at high risk of bladder cancer: smokers, workers who have contact with dye industry and the following workers: spices, rubber, leather, textile printing and dyeing, cable, paint, fuel, tar, pesticide, printing, stoker, electric material, coal producer, painter, aluminum worker, etc. This is a high-risk groups need regular physical examination line ultrasound examination, appearing hematuria promptly to seek medical advice.