Bladder Cancer Highly Treatable when Diagnosed Early

by Joe Harry

Dear Admin:
I am a 68-year-old man in relatively good health. I am an ex-smoker, but quit the habit years ago. Last week I was diagnosed with early stage bladder cancer. Is it true that my smoking could have caused this? How serious is bladder cancer? What are the latest treatment options?

Answer:
The good news is that bladder cancer is highly treatable when diagnosed at an early stage. Unfortunately, bladder cancer is often a repeat offender - even early-stage bladder cancer is likely to recur. For this reason, your doctor will probably schedule multiple follow-up exams even after you have had treatment.

Your bladder is a muscular, hollow organ that stores urine, which is the liquid waste filtered from your blood by your kidneys. Urine is eliminated from the body through a narrow tube called the urethra.

The bladder wall itself has multiple tissue layers. Most bladder cancers have their start in the bladder's inner lining (urothelial cells). From there, depending on the type of tumor, and the cancer's aggressiveness (grade), it may grow farther into the bladder's outer layers. Cancer in the bladder's urothelial cells is generally classified (staged) by how far it has grown into bladder tissue layers.

You mention that you have early-stage bladder cancer, which is called non-muscle invasive (superficial) cancer. This means that only the innermost surface layers of bladder tissue have tumor cells. Because the cancer hasn't extended into the muscle, successful treatment is likely.

If the tumor had invaded your bladder's muscle wall layer, it would be considered muscle invasive cancer. Even more serious, metastatic cancer, is when bladder cancer has spread beyond the outside wall of the bladder and invaded other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes.

In the early stages of bladder cancer, it's not unusual to have no signs or symptoms. However, some patients do see blood in their urine. Other possible signs and symptoms of bladder cancer may include pain with urination, a change in bladder habits (such as increased frequency or an inability to urinate despite the urge to do so), abdominal pain and back pain.

While it's impossible to say for sure what caused your cancer, we do know that smoking is a major risk factor when it comes to bladder cancer. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers and former smokers are two to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer. That's because the body processes chemicals found in tobacco smoke and then excretes some of them in urine. The presence of these chemicals in urine may damage the bladder's lining.

Those at greatest risk of bladder cancer generally are adults over age 60. Exposure to certain chemicals also is linked to bladder cancer. These include arsenic and chemicals used in the manufacturing of dyes, rubber, textiles and leather and paint products. In addition, the use of certain anti-cancer drugs - notably high doses of cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) - can increase bladder cancer risk, as does radiation treatment of cancers in the vicinity of the bladder.

As with other cancers, treatment options for bladder cancer are determined by the type of cancer and how far the cancer has progressed.

Because you have early-stage bladder cancer, your doctor may recommend transurethral resection of bladder tumor, or TURBT. During this procedure, a small wire loop is passed through the urethra to the bladder. The loop burns away cancer cells with an electric current.

In some special situations, it may be best to remove just the portion of your bladder (partial cystectomy) where the tumor is located by way of an open or laparoscopic surgical procedure. This procedure is done if your cancer is limited to one area of the bladder that can easily be removed without harming bladder function.

When cancer has invaded deeper layers of the bladder wall, removal of the entire bladder and other nearby tissues is commonly performed. After bladder removal, a new urinary tract is constructed by your surgeon.

Additional therapies for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer may include immunotherapy, which activates your body's own immune cells to help fight cancer cells. Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy can also be incorporated in the overall treatment of bladder cancer.

Fortunately for you, one of the keys to successful treatment of bladder cancer is early detection. However, you will need regular and lifetime follow-ups with your doctor. Recurrence remains an ongoing concern once you've been treated for bladder cancer.

For More information About Joe Harry Please Visit Bladder Cancer Blog

Bladder Cancer

Understanding Bladder Cancer

By Paula Jimenez

What is a bladder and where is it located?

The urinary bladder is an organ that collects and holds the urine after the kidneys dispose the same. The urinary bladder is just above and behind the pubic bone; an empty bladder is about the size and shape of a pear.

Typical diseases in the bladder

There are a variety of causes that may lead to bladder dysfunction; such causes may lead to the subsequent diseases:

1. Infection - It's also referred to as cystitis or urinary tract infection (UTI). This generally occurs more in females and indicators include fever, soreness in urination or dysuria, blood in the urine and an urge to use the bathroom more often than usual. Infections are treatable with antibiotic and prompt medication and a medical doctor consultation is suggested.

2. Cystocele - It is a disease or condition in the bladder in which the pelvis triggers the dropping of bladder from its position to the woman's organ. If the condition reaches the over the top levels, there may be problems with the remainder of the urinary parts which may involve the kidneys.

3. Bladder cancer - Cancer can happen in virtually any organ of the human body and the bladder is not excused from that. Risk factors for instance excessive smoking, excessive chemical exposure and genealogy are several of the bullet points a person may want to always remember. Symptoms involve excessive weight loss, back aches and pains, blood in the urine and persistent urination.

Understanding bladder cancer further

Bladder cancer takes place when cancer tissues form in the tissues of the bladder. People should be aware that bladder cancer is two times more likely to develop and come about to smokers than those people who aren't using cigarettes. People also need to understand the extreme exposure to chemicals for example dyes, paints, and dusts may also cause bladder cancer.

Treatments of bladder cancer

Just like any other disease, bladder cancer has remedies that may help eliminate the cancer cells and leave you worry free in the future. The following are the treatment options:

1. Surgery - This is one of the easiest ways to remove the cancer cells, in fact 9 out of 10 cases used to suggest surgeries to prevent cancer cells from spreading.

2. Chemotherapy - It has been the most common kind of treatment advised to all cancer patients nowadays. Despite the fact that you will find alternative treatments for bladder cancer, chemotherapy is the next best treatment recommended after an unsuccessful surgery.

3. Radiation therapy - This procedure is provided that can help eliminate cancer cells with the use of high-dose X-rays. It can be advised following surgery or maybe provided together with chemotherapy.

Keeping the bladder healthy and tips to avoid cancer

Prevention is definitely superior to cure. As soon as you already have bladder cancer, the only thing you should do is to prevent it from worsening. With this case however, you may reduce your risk factors by...

1. Quit smoking. As enumerated above, one of the leading reasons why bladder cancer arises is when a person is continuously smoking. So if you are a smoker, you may prevent cancer by quitting now.

2. Check your environment. Avoid dangerous contact with chemicals that causes bladder cancer. In case your work calls for you to do so, be sure you exercise preventive measures including using face masks and taking vitamins that will help improve your immune system.

3. Eat healthy, live healthy. Drink plenty of water or fresh fruit juices to aid dilute and clean your bladder. Be sure to constantly flush them on time so it may not lead to infection also.

About the Author

Over the last nine years, the cancer alternative treatment of New Hope Medical Center has been a great help to all cancer patients. There are bladder cancer alternative treatment for bladder cancer patients and a lot more to offer.

Bladder Cancer

Alternative Treatments for Bladder Cancer

by Paula Jimenez

The year 2013 is expecting 72,570 new cases of bladder cancer. Loss of life is predicted to reach 15,210. These figures come from the American Cancer Society. Part of this statistic may decide on alternative cancer treatments than the traditional methods or a combination of both. This is because they are being popular among cancer patients, who want more treatment methods to facilitate success. Amongst those alternative solutions that were believed to enhance their situation were nutritional procedure, physical therapy, mistletoe extract remedy and acupuncture.

Nutritional Therapy

Such type of alternative therapy is a lot more important for individuals with cancer. The medical expert typically prescribes mineral supplements and vitamins to increase the number of nutrients inside their bodies. Beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and eicosapentaenoic acid are some of the nutrients that may often be recommended.

Before this can be performed, nonetheless, it's best that they undergo blood analysis first to determine the standing of the function of the immune system. The physician will also evaluate the health background of the sufferers and submit them to physical exam. The nutritionist, on the other hand, will consult with them to obtain data on food choices, appetite level and digestive system performance, as well as to identify pre-existing and potential complications.

Physical Therapy

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America stated that physical therapy increases the tolerance of individuals with bladder cancer to radiation and chemo. Such type of alternative cancer treatment consists of exercise programs and other techniques like Swedish therapeutic massage. Look for massage therapists who are qualified and trained to do this to cancer patients. Your medical professional may know of some individuals to propose.

Mistletoe Extract Treatment

Mistletoe extract treatment decreases the chance of tumor relapse after surgical procedure to the particular person with superficial bladder cancer. It has been discovered to act efficiently on proteins and has been helpful for a long time to treat patients with malignant bladder cancer.

In the study, 30 patients experiencing this type of cancer were instilled with water-based mistletoe extract for six weeks four weeks right after the operation. They were able to withstand the process and no one claimed to have experienced side effects. After a year, only nine of them communicated that their cancer has re-occurred.

Acupuncture

Bladder cancer patients might feel much better with acupuncture. The acupuncturist utilizes very fine needles and inserts them into certain points of the body. Along the way, it enables the natural healing vigor of the body to circulate easily. According to a research published in the Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America journal, acupuncture is a risk-free approach and makes cancer management successful.

The American Cancer Society advises that you confer with your healthcare team should you be considering alternative cancer treatments. Likewise, learn how to detect scam, such as clinics that require you to go abroad and that promise assured methods to any type of cancer. You may also think about calling them to find out more about these.

With research from Steady Health, Dr. Ray Sahelian, American Cancer Society and Live Strong

Bladder Cancer