Bladder Cancer Risks Of Smokeless Tobacco

By Zachary Malott

Ever think about the dangers of smokeless tobacco? If you use smokeless tobacco your first thoughts are probably the chance of contracting lip, tongue, throat and stomach cancer. These are certainly cancers that have been proven to develop from smokeless tobacco use.

Many people are not aware that smokeless tobacco has a more far ranging effect on the human body than those diseases mentioned above. It has been shown that smokeless tobacco can increase greatly the chances of developing bladder cancer. What is frightening is that so many people now using and those who will soon begin to use smokeless tobacco have no idea of the serious effects this substance can bring down upon unsuspecting users.

Carcinogins found in tobacco have been shown to increase the risk of bladder cancer by up to 400% in users vs. those who do not use. Even more frightening this risk factor remains for years even after the user quits tobacco completely. Scary thought, huh?

What educators in the tobacco cessation arena need to be aware of is finding a way to get across the truth that just because smokeless tobacco is smokeless it isn't harmless. Smokeless tobacco doesn't just stay in the oral cavity. It gets swallowed into the stomach and it gets into your esophagus and bladder.

I would like to add an interesting paragraph from a study called: Clinico-pathological features of bladder carcinoma in women in Pakistan and smokeless tobacco as a possible risk factor
Muhammad Rafique1
1Department of Urology, Nishtar Medical College, Multan, Pakistan
Corresponding author.
Muhammad Rafique: rafiqanju/at/hotmail.com
Received April 12, 2005; Accepted August 5, 2005.

."Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common bladder malignancy in women in Pakistan. Most women with bladder carcinoma have long history of use of smokeless tobacco. At the time of diagnosis 75% women have muscle invasive bladder carcinoma. In women using smokeless tobacco, there is significant correlation between stage of bladder carcinoma and duration of smokeless tobacco use. Further studies are required to clarify the role of smokeless tobacco in the development of bladder carcinoma."

Does chewing and dipping cause bladder cancer? We have seen a lot of evidence that points to a correlation of bladder cancer and tobacco use. There remains a lot of research left to do before the final verdict is in. In my humble opinion, the information that I have studied in preparation to write this short, general article has convinced me that the possibility that it does cause bladder cancer far outweighs any scientific information stating that it doesn't.

When it comes right down to it, knowing all of the things that the use of smokeless tobacco certainly does makes the use of it illogical. When we add the fact that there is much sound evidence that smokeless tobacco can affect the body to the degree of producing bladder cancer, it just makes good sense:

1) If you don't chew, dip or smoke - don't.

2) If you do use tobacco in any form - seriously consider finding a good cessation program and quit.

If you want detailed information of the dangers of smokeless tobacco please use the following link to read a FREE eBook entitled, "Stop Using Smokeless Tobacco Now!" [http://www.stopsmokeless.com/freebook.php]

Life is full of choices. Choices require decisions. What decision will you make?

Zach Malott is CEO of Stop Smokeless.com, a site that is dedicated to helping others to eliminate the addiction of smokeless tobacco from their lives.

Malott has spent most of his life addicted to smokeless tobacco. In his search for a means to quit and stay quit, a program developed over the years that has helped 1,000's who are ready to quit succeed.

The focus of his life now is to help as many people as he can to be rid of this dangerous, unnecessary drug from being the cause of so much human misery. This resource can be found at:

Stop Smokeless.com [http://www.stopsmokeless.com/]

Once again, the FREE eBook can be read at the following link: "Stop Using Smokeless Tobacco Now!" [http://www.stopsmokeless.com/freebook.php]

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Bladder Cancer Amongst Professional Painters

By Chris N. Jackson

If you are a professional painter and you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you may be surprised to learn that the chemicals contained in the paint used could be the cause of your condition. If you have worked in a profession that caused you to be in frequent contact with paint or paint fumes, or if you worked as a decorator, artist, glazier, plasterer, or wall paper hanger, you could be at a higher risk for developing bladder cancer.

Investigators are looking into the link between exposure to paint fumes and bladder cancer. Many personal injury attorneys are taking cases where professional painters and others who are regularly exposed to fumes have developed bladder cancer, and often offer free case reviews. If you or someone you know you may be able to seek monetary compensation for your condition. You should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss the details of your case and learn your options.

The most commonly reported symptoms of bladder cancer include the following:

- Blood clots or blood seen in the urine, a condition known as hematuria. This happens in eighty to ninety percent of all cases of bladder cancer, and is considered to be the most common symptom. Hematuria is not typically painful.
- Dysuria, which is pain or discomfort while urinating.
- Having to urinate small amounts often.
- Frequent or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

When bladder cancer advances, other symptoms may be present such as:

- Swelling of the lower legs.
- Pain in the lower back in the area near the kidneys, which is referred to as flank pain.
- Pelvic growths in the area of the bladder.

If the bladder cancer has spread throughout the body, these symptoms may occur:

- Pain in the bones, or pain in the pelvic, anal, or rectal areas.
- Anemia.
- Weight loss.

Painters are often subjected to exposure to a variety of chemicals, such as solvents that are petroleum based. These solvents include alcohols, xylene, esters, toluene, glycol ethers, and ketones. Paint strippers often contain chlorinated hydrocarbons as well. For many years, benzene was used as a paint solvent, but today is only found in low quantities in some solvents that are petroleum based. Chromium, titanium dioxide, and iron compound are frequently used as pigmentation for paint, with lead being its predecessor. Paint filler, taping compounds, and spackle can contain asbestos, and painters can also suffer harm from being exposed to silica during the preparation of surfaces in painting metal and on construction projects.

The journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine published as study in 2010 that found that professional painters, as well as those frequently exposed to paint fumes, were at a higher risk of developing bladder cancer when compared to those who do not. While a key risk factor for bladder cancer is also smoking, higher than normal numbers of the disease have been seen in workers in certain occupations such as painting. Painters are exposed to many of the same chemicals that are contained in cigarette smoke, such as aromatic amines.

Researchers who conducted the study looked at roughly three thousands cases of bladder cancer in professional painters. These patients included painters, wall paper hangers, artists, plasterers, decorators, and glaziers. After considering smoking behavior, the study found painters to be thirty percent more likely to suffer bladder cancer compared to the population in general. This suggested that painting is considered to be an independent risk factor for bladder cancer.

What's more is that there was evidence that suggested female painters are more likely to contract the disease compared to male painters; however there were only four studies that looked at women independently. Studies also found a link between the length of time a person worked as a painted and the risk for developing bladder cancer. People who worked for more than ten years as painter were more likely to develop the disease compared to those working in the field for less than ten years.

The authors of the study were not able to determine which precise reasons accounted for the elevated risk. There are many factors involved in the matter including different types of paints used, the length of time working in the field, and how long people were exposed.

With an annual death toll of one hundred and thirty thousand people, and more than three hundred and thirty thousand new cases diagnosed yearly, bladder cancer is the ninth most common type of cancer diagnosed globally. (statistics courtesy of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)) The cause of this disease is not always known, but is seen more often in people who smoke, compared to people who do not.

This type of cancer is usually seen in people who are older, with ninety percent of cases appearing after the age of fifty five. Men are almost three times more likely to develop this disease compared to women. The risk level for men developing bladder cancer at some point in his lifetime is about one in twenty six, while a woman has a one in eighty four chance. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer noted in men.

If you or someone you know worked as a professional painter or associated occupation, were exposed to paint fumes on a regular basis, and has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you need to know that you do have legal options and you should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss those options. These legal professionals can help you to determine all parties that can be held accountable and can help you to recover damages for past, present, and future medical expenses, loss of income, loss of quality of life, and pain and suffering. Since most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, you do not have to worry about how to fund your claim in advance, and often pay nothing until the time your case settles.

If you are in need of a personal injury attorney please visit http://www.feldmanshepherd.com/

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Bladder Cancer Prognosis - Stage by Stage

By Philip Albert Edmonds-Hunt

The bladder is basically a bag that holds the urine until such time the urine can be emptied. It is made of many cell layers, where the inner layer (bladder lining) expands and contracts as the bladder either fills or empties. Like most other organs in the body, the bladder is susceptible to developing cancer.

Symptoms - The early signs of bladder cancer can easily be missed due to being similar to those of other cancers, where symptoms of urinary tract infections, pelvic discomfort, and back pains are quite common. Another symptom may include a painless hematuria (blood in the urine), although blood in the urine does not always mean cancer is present.

Diagnosis - Routine tests are usually carried out, such as: physical examinations, urinalysis; also known as routine and microscopy (R&M) which are an array of tests preformed on the urine, computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans, magnet resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and intravenous pyelogram ([IVP] an X-ray of the urinary tract) tests. The CAT scan and IVP scan provide vital information about the size and position of the tumor, where as the MRI scan gives an indication as to whether the cancer has metastasized, either to regional (nearby) or distant organs.

Tests/Biopsy - Sometimes there may exist questionable cells during the diagnosis process which need a closer look at, and where more invasive procedures may need to be used. These may include either a cystoscopy, where a thin tube is inserted through the urethra that allows for a doctor to look inside the bladder, or a urine cytology, which allows for the cells in the urine that have been shed from the bladder to be examined for possible cancer, as well as looking for tumor indicators, or tumors that may also be found in the urine. While the cystoscopy is being used, a small tissue sample may also be taken for laboratory examination.

Prognosis Stages

Stage 0 - Cancerous cells are contained within the bladder lining where the tumor is still small, and has not yet affected any regional organs. Survival rate is high at around 80 - 90%.

Stage I - The tumor has begun to show signs of metastasis (spread) to other tissues. Survival rate is still high at around 70 - 80%, however if not treated soon will soon become stage II.

Stage II - The tumor has metastasized (spread) through the connective tissue and into the muscle lining, although no metastasis has taken place outside this area. Survival rate has now dropped to around 60%.

Stage III - The tumor has metastasized through the connective tissue and muscle, and into the tissue outside the bladder, and/or the prostate gland (male), and/or the uterus/vagina (female), although no metastasis has occurred in the lymph nodes. Classed as deep or invasive bladder cancer where the survival rate has dropped considerable from that of stage II.

Stage IV - The tumor has metastasized through the bladder lining and into the pelvis, and/or the abdominal wall, and/or the lymph nodes, and/or any distant organs. Classed as metastatic bladder cancer, where little hope of curing it can be expected.

Philip Albert Edmonds-Hunt was born in the County of Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. A well travelled man who today lives in Mexico with his family. He works as a Freelance Writer, Researcher and English Teacher, spending much of his time researching and writing about cancer with the hope that his writings may benefit other cancer sufferers. If you feel that you have benefited from reading one of his articles; please recommend them to other cancer sufferers who may also benefit. If you are interested in reading more about cancer, check out: http://www.cancercry.com

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Bladder Cancer

Precursors and Threats Associated With Bladder Cancer

By Trevor Price

There are two primary bladder cancer symptoms - a drastic change in urination habits or patterns, and blood in the urine. Unfortunately, many instances of this potentially deadly disease are still unrecognized in people's lives.

Approximately 54,300 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year, and over 12,000 people die of the disease. It is the sixth most common cancer in the country. And though the five-year survival rate sits at an impressive 81 percent, the chances for full recovery are dramatically improved if the disease is caught early.

That's the reason recognizing and diagnosing bladder cancer symptoms is crucial. So, if you're interested in learning more about the signs of bladder cancer and potential causes of the disease, read on.

Evidences and Signs Associated with Bladder Cancer

Bloody Urine: The primary symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. While bloody urine can often be an indicator of other bladder problems (kidney cancer, kidney stones, bladder infections), it's almost always exhibited in patients diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Urination Patterns: Most people diagnosed with bladder cancer complain of a frequent urge to pee, possible urinary incontinence and difficulty making it through the night without having to use the bathroom multiple times. Unfortunately, most patients with bladder cancer are older and don't recognize this symptom as a potential indicator of a more serious problem.

Causes and Risk Factors Associated with Bladder Cancer

Smoking: Smokers are more than twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers. Smoking causes about half of the deaths from bladder cancer among men and over 30% of bladder cancer deaths among women.
The carcinogens in cigarettes make their way into the blood stream and finally through the bladder and into the urine, which is why they're such a major cause of bladder cancer.

Exposure at the Work Place: Aromatic amines, types of industrial chemicals which are often used in the dye industry, are considered a major cause of bladder cancer.

Other organic chemicals, like those used in rubber plants, leather manufacturers, fabrics and textiles and printing firms, are also a higher risk factor for the disease.

Race: Bladder cancer is typically more common in Caucasians than other races.

Age: The risk for developing bladder cancer increases with age. The average age for those diagnosed with the disease is around 68 years. Meanwhile, less than 1% of bladder cancer patients are age 39 and under.

Chronic Bladder Problems: Patients who have a long-term history of kidney stones, urinary infections, bladder stones or other forms of chronic bladder irritation may be at an increased risk for developing bladder cancer.

If the risk factors listed above apply to you, it's important that you be able to not only recognize bladder cancer symptoms (bloody urine, changing urination habits), but that you also act on them and seek the advice of a physician.

When confronted with symptoms of any form of cancer, you are much better off taking precautionary steps to ensure your health than to assume no problem while allowing something dangerous to spread through your body unchecked.

About the Author

For helpful information on various cancers - please visit cancerinfotips.com - a popular site providing symptom and treatment insights - such as men's breast cancer - childhood osteosarcoma - and many more!

Bladder Cancer

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