Bladder Cancer Health Feed

Gall Bladder is a pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen below the liver. It holds bile and other digestive fluid coming from the liver. Cancer in the gall bladder is generally not detectable and get noticed in later advanced stages.

Gall Bladder cancer is very uncommon and if detected in the early stage, it may be curable for the patient. Since the signs and symptoms of gallbladder cancer are not specific and are general in nature.

Symptoms of Gall Bladder Cancer-

Symptoms of Gall Bladder cancer are general in nature:

Abdominal pain
Abdominal bloating
Nausea
Weight loss
Fever
Jaundice eyes

Causes of Gall Bladder Cancer-

The cause of Gall Bladder Cancer is still unknown. Generally, doctors see that the cells in the Gall Bladder multiply and form a tumor. These cells multiply without control and do not die. Most of the Gall Bladder Cancer starts with the production of numerous number undying glandular cells in the inner surface of gallbladder. The cancer cells only appear when observed under the microscope.

Diagnosis-

The diagnosis of gall bladder cancer is comprehensive and requires a series of blood test and organ imaging techniques. The doctors proceed with a blood test to evaluate liver functions. They also scan the abdomen and liver with CT scanning or MRI to understand the presence of a tumor or mass in the body. The imaging technique helps the doctors to determine the position of cancer
in the gallbladder and extent to which it has affected other parts of the body. Since gallbladder cancer is found in the later stages of development, there are chances that it has extended to other parts of the body by the time it has been discovered. Once the oncologists determine that the patient has gallbladder cancer, they learn its stage and whether it has affected other parts as well.
For this, doctors perform some special tests and procedures to understand the condition of cancer.

Treatment-

The gallbladder cancer surgery at an early stage is done to remove gallbladder and parts of the liver that are getting affecting due to cancer. The surgery to remove gallbladder from the body is called Cholecystectomy. It is the most common type of surgery performed for removing the cancer of the gallbladder.
If cancer has spread to other parts, it is required to remove those parts as well. Doctors may remove some parts of the liver and bile ducts so that cancer does not spread in the later years of life.
However, if the cancer is detected in the late stage, then the doctors proceed with other types of treatments which involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and various other kinds of clinical trials.

Gall Bladder is a pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen below the liver. It holds bile and other digestive fluid coming from the liver. Cancer in the gall bladder is generally not detectable and get noticed in later advanced stages.
Gall Bladder cancer is very uncommon and if detected in the early stage, it may be curable for the patient. Since the signs and symptoms of gallbladder cancer are not specific and are general in nature.

Symptoms of Gall Bladder Cancer-
Symptoms of Gall Bladder cancer are general in nature:
● Abdominal pain
● Abdominal bloating
● Nausea
● Weight loss
● Fever
● Jaundice eyes

Causes of Gall Bladder Cancer-
The cause of Gall Bladder Cancer is still unknown. Generally, doctors see that the cells in the Gall Bladder multiply and form a tumor. These cells multiply without control and do not die. Most of the Gall Bladder Cancer starts with the production of numerous number undying glandular cells in the inner surface of gallbladder. The cancer cells only appear when observed under the microscope.

Diagnosis-
The diagnosis of gall bladder cancer is comprehensive and requires a series of blood test and organ imaging techniques. The doctors proceed with a blood test to evaluate liver functions. They also scan the abdomen and liver with CT scanning or MRI to understand the presence of a tumor or mass in the body. The imaging technique helps the doctors to determine the position of cancer
in the gallbladder and extent to which it has affected other parts of the body. Since gallbladder cancer is found in the later stages of development, there are chances that it has extended to other parts of the body by the time it has been discovered. Once the oncologists determine that the patient has gallbladder cancer, they learn its stage and whether it has affected other parts as well.
For this, doctors perform some special tests and procedures to understand the condition of cancer.

Treatment-
The gallbladder cancer surgery at an early stage is done to remove gallbladder and parts of the liver that are getting affecting due to cancer. The surgery to remove gallbladder from the body is called Cholecystectomy. It is the most common type of surgery performed for removing the cancer of the gallbladder.
If cancer has spread to other parts, it is required to remove those parts as well. Doctors may remove some parts of the liver and bile ducts so that cancer does not spread in the later years of life.
However, if the cancer is detected in the late stage, then the doctors proceed with other types of treatments which involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and various other kinds of clinical trials.

Statistics report an approximate 38.5% of men and women are diagnosed with some type of cancer during their lifetime. Getting widely prevalent, cancer is a deadly disease. However, due to the continuous efforts in the field of medical science, several treatment methods offering positive results are on the evolve.

Scientists have made great progress in discerning the characteristics of normal and cancer cells in the bladder and also an insight into how this helps the cancer cells to grow and spread to other parts of the body. They are now trying to utilize this knowledge for developing new ways that can treat bladder cancer and others.

1. Screening and diagnostic tests: The newly developed tests are now able to look for different substances in the urine that can help in finding whether there is bladder cancer. They are primarily used for diagnosing bladder cancer or to look for risks and chances of recurrence in individuals who have already been treated. Researchers are now on the way to find out whether these screening tests can help in finding out bladder cancer in people who don't exhibit any signs or symptoms.
2. Surgical intervention: These days, surgeons are making use of the newer approach to cystectomy where the surgeons use robotic arms for performing the surgery. It is commonly referred to as robotic cystectomy, and it allows the surgeon to operate through small incisions in place of a single large one. It helps the patients to recover much quicker. It can also be used in other forms of cancer such as prostate cancer.
3. Immunotherapy: There are immunotherapy drugs now available for treating bladder cancer. It is a treatment that uses the immune system of the body for fighting against cancer which is accomplished using substances that restore the immune system to fight the invading cancer cells effectively.
4. Photodynamic therapy: Photodynamic therapy or PDT is now under study to find out whether it is useful in the treatment of early-stage bladder cancers. In this treatment, the surgeon injects a light-sensitive drug into the bloodstream. After that, a special form of laser light is concentrated on the inner lining of the bladder with the help of the cystoscope. The light alters the composition of the cancer cells which destroys itself.
5. Intravesical immunotherapy: This is yet another form of immune therapy that has already been used for the treatment of other cancers. BCG is a type of intravesical therapy where a germ is injected in liquid form into the bladder. This causes an attraction of immune cells to the lining of the bladder which invariably kills the cancer cells.
6. Targeted therapies: As the researchers can gather more information regarding the alterations in bladder cells which cause them to become cancerous, they are also developing the drugs which can be helpful in targeting these changes. They may be effective in conditions where other chemo drugs fail, and they lead to fewer side effects.

Thus, if you are diagnosed with bladder cancer, do not lose hope but persevere and stay positive to get cured.

Bladder cancer refers to cancer, which arises from the epithelial lining or the urothelium of the urinary bladder. In the most common form of bladder cancer, the normal histology of the urothelium is recapitulated. It is called transitional cell carcinoma. Bladder cancer is a serious form of cancer that leads to many deaths too.

Treatment:
There are several modes of treatment for bladder cancer. They are:
Bladder cancer surgery: Surgeries are common in treating bladder cancer. The types of surgeries include:

1. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor or TURBT: This mode is used for determining the presence of bladder cancer and to find out if it has invaded the bladder wall muscle layer. This treatment mode is generally used in the early stages of bladder cancer.
2. Cystectomy: A cystectomy is undertaken when bladder cancer is very invasive and parts of the bladder or the whole of it have to be removed. There are two types of cystectomy.

• Partial cystectomy is used when cancer invades the bladder muscle layer in a small area. It can be removed without the whole bladder is taken out.
• A Radical cystectomy is undertaken in case cancer affects a large area and is present in multiple areas of the bladder. This surgery removes the bladder entirely and all its nearby lymph nodes.

3. Intravesical therapy: In intravesical therapy, a liquid drug is put directly into the bladder via a catheter instead of injecting it or consuming it orally. The cells lining the bladder are affected without causing any harm to other body parts. This therapy is usually used after TURBT in non-invasive cases of bladder cancer to prevent a recurrence.
4. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for bladder cancer. Chemotherapy may be used in two ways:

• Intravesical chemotherapy, where the chemo drug is put directly into the bladder and is applicable only for early treatment stages.
• Systematic chemotherapy, which involves the injection of chemo drugs into the vein or muscle and can also be administered in the form of pills. The drug reaches all parts of the body via the bloodstream and affects all cancer cells.

5. Radiation therapy: This treatment procedure for bladder cancer involves the use of high energy radiation for killing cancer cells. It is used in the early phases of treatment and is the primary remedy for people who cannot have surgery. It is combined with chemotherapy to make the radiation effective. The most common type of radiation therapy for treating bladder cancer is called external-beam radiation therapy where radiation occurs from an outside source.

Bladder cancer is a severe form of cancer. The proper and ideal treatment is required among the several treatment methods available.

Statistics report an approximate 38.5% of men and women are diagnosed with some type of cancer during their lifetime. Getting widely prevalent, cancer is a deadly disease. However, due to the continuous efforts in the field of medical science, several treatment methods offering positive results are on the evolve.

Scientists have made great progress in discerning the characteristics of normal and cancer cells in the bladder and also an insight into how this helps the cancer cells to grow and spread to other parts of the body. They are now trying to utilize this knowledge for developing new ways that can treat bladder cancer and others.

1. Screening and diagnostic tests: The newly developed tests are now able to look for different substances in the urine that can help in finding whether there is bladder cancer. They are primarily used for diagnosing bladder cancer or to look for risks and chances of recurrence in individuals who have already been treated. Researchers are now on the way to find out whether these screening tests can help in finding out bladder cancer in people who don't exhibit any signs or symptoms.
2. Surgical intervention: These days, surgeons are making use of the newer approach to cystectomy where the surgeons use robotic arms for performing the surgery. It is commonly referred to as robotic cystectomy, and it allows the surgeon to operate through small incisions in place of a single large one. It helps the patients to recover much quicker. It can also be used in other forms of cancer such as prostate cancer.
3. Immunotherapy: There are immunotherapy drugs now available for treating bladder cancer. It is a treatment that uses the immune system of the body for fighting against cancer which is accomplished using substances that restore the immune system to fight the invading cancer cells effectively.
4. Photodynamic therapy: Photodynamic therapy or PDT is now under study to find out whether it is useful in the treatment of early-stage bladder cancers. In this treatment, the surgeon injects a light-sensitive drug into the bloodstream. After that, a special form of laser light is concentrated to the inner lining of the bladder with the help of the cystoscope. The light alters the composition of the cancer cells which destroys itself.
5. Intravesical immunotherapy: This is yet another form of immune therapy that has already been used for the treatment of other cancers. BCG is a type of intravesical therapy where a germ is injected in liquid form into the bladder. This causes an attraction of immune cells to the lining of the bladder which invariably kills the cancer cells.
6. Targeted therapies: As the researchers can gather more information regarding the alterations in bladder cells which cause them to become cancerous, they are also developing the drugs which can be helpful in targeting these changes. They may be effective in conditions where other chemo drugs fail, and they lead to fewer side effects.

Thus, if you are diagnosed with bladder cancer, do not lose hope but persevere and stay positive to get cured.

Bladder cancer is an abnormal growth in the tissue lining the inner surface of the bladder. According to research done by the National Institute of Health, 17,000 women and 45,000 men approximately are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year.

There are three common types of bladder cancer: transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Bladder cancer can be diagnosed early as its signs and symptoms are prominent, mentioned below are few of the signs that indicate the presence of cancer:

1. Blood in your urine: The most common sign of bladder cancer is Hematuria, which is the presence of blood in the urine. The blood often changes the colour of urine from yellow to pink, orange or even darker shades of red. In rare cases, the colour of urine doesn’t change, but the presence of blood is found when urinalysis (urine test) is conducted. The presence of blood can be seen on one day and absent the other day. The urine can remain clear for a few weeks, but eventually, blood will reappear in the urine if you have bladder cancer. Blood in your urine can also be caused by other infections.
2. Painful and frequent urination: The next sign of bladder cancer is painful and frequent urination. The pain originates in the bladder and results in discomfort during urination. If you feel pain, stinging or a burning sensation during urination, it is a sign that you may be suffering from bladder cancer. You may also feel the need to urinate frequently. You might also have trouble urinating.
3. Pain in the abdominal area and the lower back: If you feel extreme pain in the abdominal area and lower back, it can be a sign of bladder cancer. This is a sign of advanced bladder cancer. When the bladder cancer has spread to other body parts, it can result in lower back pain, abdominal pain, and swelling in the feet. Weight loss and weakness are also common signs.

Though these are the common signs and symptoms of bladder cancer, many of these signs can also be due to other infections. Therefore, it is important to get a checkup done immediately if you notice any of the above-mentioned signs. This will help in detecting the actual cause and manage the condition at the right time.

As per myriad medical reports the world over, lung cancer is the number 1 killer cancer in the world, and one of the most common as well. This is closely followed by breast cancer. Yet, there are a number of types of cancer that can affect people all over the globe. Bladder cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer which takes place due to the abnormal growth of cells in the inner lining of the bladder.

There are many causes of bladder cancer, including genetics and smoking as well as exposure to a number of chemicals. Read on to know more about the same, and why it is imperative to give up smoking to avoid bladder cancer or to treat it effectively.

1. Smoking: Smoking and the use of tobacco is one of the most important causes of bladder cancer. It is a common misconception that smoking can only cause lung cancer. It can cause many types of cancer, including bladder cancer, because of the chemical exposure that happens when a person smokes. There are approximately 7,000 chemicals that are used when one cigarette is created, as per many studies and reports. These can have a harmful effect on the various organs of the body.
2. Smoking and its effect on the bladder: So what happens to the bladder when you smoke? Cigarettes contain a number of chemicals, which are mostly carcinogenic. These get into the urinary tract and start to clog the inner lining of the bladder because they do not get flushed out like a normal waste with the urine. Eventually, these chemicals begin to erode the inner lining which leads to the accelerated and abnormal rate of cell growth in the region. This leads to the manifestation of a tumour, which may or may not be malignant.
3. Urine and chemicals: When the chemicals from the cigarette begin to gather in the urinary tract, the bladder tends to remain in prolonged contact with this carcinogenic infested urine. This can lead to exposure to the elements, which can trigger abnormal cell growth and problems in the bladder. These high concentration levels of toxins in the urine eventually affect the functioning of the bladder.
4. Smokers and non-smokers: As per many medical studies, those who do not smoke but have a family history of the condition, as well as other environmental factors like exposure to certain types of chemicals in their workplace or other areas, maybe twice as susceptible to the growth of bladder cancer. But as per the same studies and medical reports, those who smoke, are actually four times more susceptible to bladder cancer.

Therefore, it is imperative to stop smoking so as to prevent the onset of this potentially fatal disease.