The bladder is the organ that stores and eliminates urine. Bladder tumors can arise from the bladder wall as well as the urethra. Treatment for bladder tumors vary and depend on the grade (low or high) and depth of tumor invasion of the bladder wall. The most common type of bladder cancer is urothelial carcinoma.
You may experience the following common symptoms:
The biggest risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking as well as environmental exposure to certain chemicals and genetic factors.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
Sometimes small low grade or benign tumors are able to be observed after removal.
SURGICAL TREATMENT
Bladder tumors must be excised to determine the depth of tumor invasion. This is performed through a camera in the operating room without any cuts in the skin. Depending on the tumor stage your doctor may recommend treatments with anticancer agents inside the bladder vs. surveillance. More advanced and aggressive tumors may require chemotherapy/radiation, as well as surgery to remove the entire bladder (radical cystectomy) with a rerouting of the urine (urinary diversion).
Schedule an appointment with a MidLantic Urology physician near you today!