Understanding Bladder Cancer Causes And Its Prevention
Every year more than seventy thousand people are reported with bladder cancer. In this, the ratio of men is more than women. Most of the time, cancer occurs in the people who are above 50. It becomes common in the people who are getting older. As the cancer is not infectious, it will not be passed to other people. However, there are some risk factors that will increase the chances of developing it.
Causes and Risk Factors:
Cigarette smoking: Tobacco smoking is considered as the biggest risk factor that develops bladder cancer. The longer an individual smokes, the greater the risk. There are many chemicals present in cigarette that causes cancer in bladder. These chemicals will get into the bloodstream and come up with urine, as they will be filtered by kidneys. They will damage the cells that are inside the bladder. It takes many years for these chemicals to cause cancer in bladder.
Exposure to Chemicals: Exposure to certain chemicals is also one of the main causes of bladder cancer. These include the chemicals that are used in gasworks, dye factories, rubber, paints as well as in other chemical industries. However, it will basically take around twenty five years for the bladder cancer to develop after the exposure. Therefore, incase, if you are exposed to certain chemicals in your work place, it is very important to undergo regular check up.
Untreated infection with schistosoma (parasite) is also a major risk factor of bladder cancer. This is mainly seen in people, who are living in developing countries. The earlier treatment for the cancer Radiotherapy for treating another cancer and the treatment that is done with chemotherapy drug known as cyclophosphamide will also increase the risk of bladder cancer.
Bladder Cancer Types:
TCC or Transitional cell bladder cancer: This is considered as the most common bladder cancer type. Nearly most of the bladder starts in the transitional cells (layer of cells) which form the transitional epithelium (lining of bladder). This type of cancer is known as urothelial cell or transitional cell cancers.
Carcinoma in situ or CIS: This is an early bladder cancer type that is seen in the red, ulcerated area of bladder. In this type of cancer, the cells will become high-grade or very abnormal. Therefore, the chances of growing quickly are high in this type of cancer. If you are not treating it effectively, there are high risks that these cancers will become invasive cancer.
There are also rarer types of bladder cancers that occur in many individuals. These are known as adenocarcinoma and squamous cell cancer. These cancer starts from one of the cell in bladder lining. On the other hand, Adenocarcinoma strts from the glandular cells that produce mucus. Both of these cancer types are invasive.
Bladder cancer also sometimes appears in the form of a tumor in the muscle wall of bladder. This type of cancer is also called as invasive cancer that occur bladder.
Symptoms of the bladder cancer:
Haematuria (blood in urine) is considered as one of the very common symptoms of bladder cancer. This will usually occur suddenly and will come and go. However, it is not usually painful. In some cases, the blood in the urine will not be seen. It could be picked up through a urine test. Therefore, if you ever notice blood in the urine, it is very important to consult your family doctor and get it checked.
Bladder changes are other symptoms of the cancer in bladder. Some individuals will feel burning when urinate or they may even have to pass urine urgently. All these are symptoms of the bladder irritation. This can also sometimes occur due to any infection in the bladder. Therefore, in such cases, it is always important to consult your family doctor and know what exactly the condition is. Although many people think that these symptoms will get better with antibiotics, the truth is no. You may require more tests and treatments to come out of the issue. However, most of the people who have these symptoms will not be having bladder cancer. In most of the cases, the problem can occur due to some common conditions like stones in the kidneys or bladder or even due to infection. However, if you are developing any of these symptoms, it is very important to consult your doctor and know about the condition.
Information On the Diagnosis Of Bladder Cancer:
Usually, you have to start with your family doctor. If you report any symptoms of bladder cancer, they will first ask you to produce the sample of your urine. The urine sample will be tested to known whether there is any blood in it. The GP may also conduct and internal examination of rectum or back passage for men and vagina in women. This is because vagina and rectum are very close to bladder and it will allow the doctor to notice any changes.
The urine sample is also sent to the laboratory for checking under the microscope to see whether there are any abnormal cells. It is also checked for infections. Your doctor will also arrange for x rays and further tests. They will also refer you for expert advice as well as treatment from an urologist. These experts will ask you about the general health and symptoms of your body. You should also inform them if you are suffering with any other health problems. They will examine you by feeling your bladder and abdomen. In some cases, you will also have to undergo other internal examination. This will also ask you to provide another urine sample and undergo a blood test to know more about your condition. Cystoscopy and biopsy are some of the common tests that are conducted for bladder cancer.
The above mentioned are some of the common causes and symptoms of bladder cancer. Therefore, take the right measures to avoid this from you. Incase, if you are experiencing any of the problems, it is very important to consult your doctor and discuss the issue with him. If you are reported with bladder cancer, looking for the right treatment is also important. The treatment you select should be provided with an experienced and reputed doctor who is specialized in treating bladder cancer.