Bladder Cancer: Diagnosis Doesn't Mean Death

By Joshua Myers

The American Cancer Society projects that in 2013, nearly 73,000 new bladder cancer diagnoses occur. Most of the cases--nearly 55,000 will occur in men--about 18,000 in women. New diagnoses rates have stabilized in the last few years and have even dropped slightly in women. A bladder cancer diagnosis isn't an automatic death sentence. There are over a half a million bladder cancer survivors in America today.

Surviving Bladder Cancer

A common question most patients ask after a diagnosis relates to survival rates. Like many other cancers, bladder cancer survival rates correlate to the stage of cancer present. While statistics represent a massive amount of patients studied over several years, each person's situation is different and many factors contribute to a person's survival.

The most recent study, according to the American Cancer Society, yields positive survival rates for patients diagnosed with stage zero (98%) or stage one (88%) bladder cancer. As expected, survival rates tend to decline depending on the advanced stage of diagnosed cancer. The rates are:

• Stage two: 63%
• Stage three: 46%
• Stage four: 15%

Keep in mind that these statistics reflect thousands of patients studied over time. Some people who don't get diagnosed until stage four survive and live for years afterward.

Risk Factors

It's unclear what causes bladder cancer, but certain risk factors raise the likelihood of developing cancer. These risk factors include:

• Smoking
• Growing older
• Being Caucasian
• Being male
• Prior cancer treatments
• Certain diabetes medications
• Recurring inflammation in the bladder from infection and other disorders
• Family history

Like many other cancers, a patient may not meet any of these criteria and develop cancer.

Types of Bladder Cancer

Cancer occurs when cells inside the bladder start growing abnormally, meaning they don't divide and grow like other cells. These cells don't die like typical cells and result in a tumor. There are three types of cells in the bladder that may mutate into cancer. The type of cell where the cancer originates dictates the type of cancer a patient has. Some cancer patients' cases consist of multiple cell cancers.

When cancer originates in the cells that line the interior wall of the bladder, the resulting cancer is transitional cell carcinoma. This type of cells stretches and shrinks according to the amount of urine present in the bladder and make up the interior of the urethra and ureters. Transitional cell carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed cancer.

Squamous cells are found in the bladder when an infection or inflammation present. When these cells mutate, squamous cell carcinoma occurs. This type of cancer is rare in the U.S., but much more common in areas of the world where parasitic infection rates are higher.

Another rare form, adenocarcinoma, occurs in the mucous-making cells in the bladder.

Bladder Cancer Symptoms

The symptoms of this cancer closely mimic the symptoms present in a bladder infection. This might be part of the reason that diagnosis is delayed because patients see a physician for symptoms and are treated for an infection rather than cancer. Symptoms are:

• Urine that's bright red, looks like dark soda, or very dark yellow
• Urinating often
• Pain when urinating
• Pain in the back or pelvis

Any time a patient experiences symptoms that are concerning, a visit to the doctor is needed, especially if symptoms persist for a long period of time.

Josh Myers, a St. Louis personal injury attorney is a partner at Schultz and Myers law firm, LLC. As a Missouri personal injury lawyer, he has received many awards including Missouri's most winningest trial lawyer awarded by Missouri Lawyers in 2013. His law firm exclusively represents injured individuals to maximize recovery in personal injury cases. Located throughout Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas, his law firm represents clients throughout the entire Midwest. Contact his office toll-free at 888-956-2487.

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Bladder Cancer And It's Causes

By Michael Russell

Bladder cancer is not the most common form of cancer, although it can be as deadly as other cancers. Bladder cancer is not a hormone-linked cancer such as breast, ovarian, prostate, or colon cancers. In addition, there is no evidence to support the idea that bladder cancer is inherited; it simply does not run in families. So what seems to be the root cause of bladder cancer? Bladder cancer would appear to be, from the available evidence, a cancer caused by carcinogenic compounds absorbed from outside the body. Bladder cancer is a cancer caused by environmental pollutants, whether they are lifestyle related, such as smoking, or chemicals in the workplace like benzidine.

Smoking is one of the most obvious risk factors that can contribute to bladder cancer. What's worse, by the time bladder cancer starts to appear, the patient has likely been smoking for what may amount to decades. The ongoing deposit of carcinogens in the lungs and through the lungs into the blood stream has been considerable.

Bladder cancer rates tend to be higher among men than women, in addition, the rates are higher among men in the age of 50 years old and up. Smoking men in the over 50-age group have the highest rates of bladder cancer. Also working in an environment where certain carcinogenic chemicals are used seems to contribute as a risk factor.

The most common symptoms of bladder cancer are blood in the urine, very frequent urination, or a pressure to urinate, only to find that you can't urinate. Any of these symptoms could have other causes, but certainly are worthy of a visit to a doctor. Bladder cancer is one cancer where early detection can result in a much less severe treatment option.

Basically there are two types of bladder cancer, a very superficial cancer on the lining of the bladder and a deeper cancer that has penetrated well into the tissues of the bladder. The more superficial cancer on the surface of the bladder lining can develop into the deeper cancer if left untreated. This is why it is important to respond to symptoms such as painful urination or blood in the urine and seek treatment.

The approach to dealing with these forms of bladder cancer can vary from burning off or cauterizing a superficial cancer; to removing part, or all, of the bladder in the case of a deeply rooted cancer. In addition, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have proven useful in dealing with bladder cancer. In the case of chemotherapy, a number of drugs are used. With radiation therapy, a radioactive dispenser can be installed in the bladder to give appropriate dosages of radiation to counter the cancer.

Obviously if the patient wants to avoid a reoccurence of the cancer, lifestyle changes may be in order. If the patient is a smoker, then trying to find a strategy to quit smoking would helpful. If the cancer seems to be provoked by a chemical in the workplace, then avoiding this chemical may be a good idea. Unfortunately, up to 30 percent of bladder cancers occur without any obvious environmental causes. Some people have suggested that chlorine in the water supply may be the culprit. A water filtration system, some of which can be reasonable in cost, would serve well here.

Whether your interest in bladder cancer is based on a desire to identify and understand a cancer risk, or if you are interested because of more personal reasons, there are a few basic concepts to keep in mind. As with any cancer, early detection is essential in terms of chances of survival. In addition, try to identify and minimize risk factors. With this approach, the odds of success are in your favor.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Bladder Cancer [http://bladder-cancer-guided.com/]

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Innovative Robotics in Surgery - Forget the Invasive and Unrefined Methods

By Pete Jameson

Technological advancement has answers to several questions. Inception of robotics in surgery has blessed millions of patients with accurate surgical procedures along with faster relief. The Da Vinci robotic surgical system is now popular due to the highest effectiveness in its class. Expert doctors handle the robot arms through a console and perform the laparoscopic surgery. The distinct features offered by this system are

• Lesser blood loss
• Minimally invasive method
• Faster recovery
• Accurate surgical processing with precise monitoring methods
• Lesser pain and scarring
• Faster resumption of daily routine

These advantages prove to be beneficial for patients and even for the treating hospitals. They have complete control of the entire operation. The state of the art system transfers the movement of Surgeon's hands and fingers into the robot arm in real time. The 3D projection of the inside of the patient's body is visible in the console window, and Surgeons can decide over the surgical process. This is good news for patients who fret about surgical incisions. Da Vinci robotic surgery is now preferred by thousands of patients over to the regular surgical process.

Bleeding in Urine is alarming - Wake up before it's too late!

Some diseases are silent till they sore to be the worst nightmare. Bladder cancer is such a disease, where acute symptoms are visible only during the advancement of cancer. Unfortunately, at this stage the cancer is not curable, at the most with proper care and treatment it can be controlled from growing into further complications. Some signs you need to watch:

• Hematuria - In this case, blood is found in urine. In earlier stages of bladder cancer, the blood occurrence can be identified only by laboratory tests. However, in advanced stages, red colored urine with blood clots is observed.
• Burning sensation- This is one of the prominent symptoms of bladder cancer. However, this symptom is also found in urinary tract infections.
• Painful urination - When patients complain about painful urination, there are high chances of positive bladder cancer. However, pathological tests can diagnose the exact cause of painful urination.
• Change in pattern - The normal urination pattern is disturbed and people complain of sudden urge for urination without much urination.

All these symptoms together are indicative that the person may be a candidate of bladder cancer. However, it is not compulsory that the occurrence of these symptoms is confirmation of cancer. Consultation from expert doctors and pathological reports offer the exact diagnosis of bladder cancer.

The Urology Care in Kansas City carefully implements robotics in surgery for effective treatments. Find out more.

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Important Facts About Bladder Cancer

By Michael Russell

The bladder is a hollow organ lying within pelvis, which collects urine from the kidneys via tubes called ureters and stores it until it is full enough to empty through the urethra.

Bladder cancer is any type of malignant growth in the bladder. There are two main types - superficial and invasive. The superficial tumours, sometimes known as bladder warts, do not spread and are fairly easily treated. Invasive tumours, which have spread beyond the bladder walls, have a poorer prognosis.

Bladder cancer is more common in men, especially those over the age of sixty years. Cigarette smoking is known to be a major risk factor and accounts for about 60% of all new cases. Other risk factors include exposure to chemicals as used in certain industries. Women who have regularly used permanent hair dyes are at greater risk of developing the condition, as are hairdressers. The exact causes however remain unknown and research continues.

The symptoms of bladder malignancy may include blood in the urine, also known as haematuria, and pain or frequency passing urine. These symptoms, however, are not specific and could well be related to other conditions such as urinary tract infections or kidney stones. If you notice blood in your water it is important that you see your doctor as soon as possible for some diagnostic tests. But please do not panic as the blood may be from an entirely benign source. Haematuria does not always indicate bladder cancer but must be checked out.

To diagnose the problem the doctor will take a full medical history, do a physical examination and send a specimen of urine away for testing. Depending on the results the next step may be a cystoscopy, which is a simple procedure, using a fibre-optic tube with a light source attached to inspect the inside of the bladder. The scope is passed into the bladder via the urethra. If any abnormal areas or growths are noted cells can be taken for further examination to see whether they are cancerous or not.

If cancer is diagnosed the next step is to determine whether it is localised or has spread from it's original location.

Treatment is by surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The type of cancer, age and general health of the patient will determine which treatment or combination of treatments is used.

Early diagnosis always improves the outcome. If you experience any of the above symptoms please seek immediate medical help. If you notice blood in your urine report it to your doctor so that it can be investigated and any appropriate treatment started.

If you have been diagnosed as having a bladder cancer you will need to attend for regular check ups so the condition can be monitored.

People who smoke 20 cigarettes a day for 10 years have double the risk of developing bladder cancer compared with non-smokers. If you stop smoking the risk is reduced. If you have been diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer and are a smoker, stopping smoking will greatly reduce the risk of any recurrence.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Bladder Cancer [http://bladder-cancer-guided.com]

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Common Bladder Problems

Common Bladder Problems
By George McKenzie

Your bladder is a sac-like structure near the bottom of the abdomen. Its major function is act as a storage area for urine until it can be expelled. It has a waterproof skin which medical professionals call the transitional cell epithelium.

Urine comes to the bladder from the kidneys through tubes called ureters. It is eliminated through a tube leading outside the body called the urethra.

A normal adult bladder contains about 400 milliliters of urine.

As people grow older, bladder problems become more common. It can become more of a challenge to control the bladder. This sometimes results in a condition known as incontinence. Incontinence can also happen when there is a disease or some other problem. There are many different bladder control products available commercially that help people who suffer from incontinence.

Other Common Bladder Problems

Bladder Cancer - There are several kinds of bladder cancer. The kind that happens most often originates in the lining of the cells inside of the bladder. This type is called urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) or transitional cell carcinoma (TCC).

Bladder infection - This is a bacterial infection that can happen in any part of the urinary tract. Although a bladder infection can be very uncomfortable, it's fairly easy to treat and can be cured quickly if treated properly.

Overactive bladder - This is a condition that results from a sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder triggers an urgent and unstoppable need to urinate. OA is also known as urge incontinence and is a type of urinary incontinence or unintentional loss of urine.

Bladder Stones - Bladder stones are crystalline masses that originate from minerals and proteins which naturally occur in urine. They are much less common than kidney stones.

Bladder Spasms - A bladder spasm may also be called bladder instability. Under normal circumstances bladder muscles are relaxed and only go into action when you urinate. But when the bladder is unstable, it sometimes contracts suddenly and unexpectedly. This contraction is commonly known as a bladder spasm.

Bladder Prolapse - Also called cystoceles. It is more often called a fallen bladder or prolapsed bladder. It happens in women when the front wall of the vagina, which supports the bladder, weakens or loosens. The bladder may then start to slip into the vagina. There are four different stages, but the basic result can be urinary difficulties, discomfort, and stress incontinence (which is urine leakage caused by sneezing, coughing, exertion, or some other physical condition).

Enuresis (more commonly called bed wetting) - Enuresis is, simply put, involuntary urination, usually during sleep. This is more common in children and usually doesn't occur as the child gets older. However, repeated enuresis can be a sign or symptom other physical or emotional problems.

Paruresis - Paruresis is a condition that is also called shy bladder, shy kidney, or bashful bladder. Both genders can suffer from paruresis, which is a type of social anxiety disorder in which the sufferer is unable to urinate when others are within earshot, typically somewhere like a public restroom.

For more information on topics related to this article, click on Losing Bladder Control [http://www.bladder-problems.info/losing-bladder-control.html].

George McKenzie is a retired TV anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host. He is a frequent contributor to Bladder Problems [http://www.bladder-problems.info/], a resource site about health and wellness.

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Smoking Can Cause Bladder Cancer

By Beverly Krause

Last spring, a very close friend of mine was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The symptoms came on suddenly. One day, he couldn't urinate. His bladder stopped working. The tumor was so large that it blocked the passage of urine. He was in severe pain and needless to say, completely unprepared for what was yet to come.

Fortunately, he was able to make an appointment with a urologist that very day. His bladder was drained of approximately 700 cc of bloody urine (the bladder normally holds approximately 500 cc). A Foley catheter was placed into the bladder, and he was set up for a CT scan to see what the problem was.

Bladder cancer is the 4th most common type of cancer diagnosed in men in the United States and is the 9th most common cancer in women. Each year, 50,000 men and 16,000 women are diagnosed with bladder cancer. These are pretty grim statistics. It is believed that men develop bladder cancer more often than women because of androgen receptors (related to male hormones). Add these receptors to a long-term smoking habit and you have a ticking time bomb.

Tobacco use is believed to be the #1 contributor to bladder cancer causing more than half of the bladder cancers in men and about a third of the cases in women. There is a direct link between smoking and the risk of developing bladder cancer. Quitting smoking significantly reduces the chance of developing bladder cancer.

The symptoms of this deadly cancer develop gradually over time. My friend's cancer was growing for years without symptoms. Blood in the urine is one of the first signs of bladder cancer. However, one can have what is known as "microscopic hematuria" which simply means, blood that can only be seen with a microscope. In my friend's case, the blood was apparent the day his bladder became blocked. Prior to that day, there was no visible blood. Most people develop pain with urination, frequent urination, or the feeling of needing to urinate, but unable to. Some people have no symptoms until the cancer, or tumor, is very large.

It has been suggested that approximately 30% of bladder tumors are caused by occupational exposures in the workplace. However, this article is about smoking as the cause of bladder cancer. A chemical called "2-Naphthylamine" found in cigarette smoke has been linked to an increase in a person's risk of bladder cancer development.

Aside from not smoking, what else can help prevent bladder tumors? Drinking plenty of fluids each day can significantly reduce the chances of developing bladder cancer by constantly flushing the bladder of carcinogens. Drink half your body weight in fluids daily, i.e., if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water or other fluids each day. Water is best because it flushes the bladder. Coffee is a diuretic, so it's best not to drink too much of this beverage, so don't count coffee in your daily fluid intake total. Eating lots of citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables may have a protective effect as well.

The chances of developing bladder cancer also depends on many other factors. How long a person has smoked is at the top of the list. However, quitting smoking can have a major impact on whether a person will develop the disease. Current smokers are three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than non-smokers, and former smokers have two times the risk of developing it than non-smokers. However, duration is key in the development of bladder carcinoma, and the age a person begins smoking has an influence as well. But, it's never too late to quit and is always the best option.

After quitting, long-term smokers should see a urologist for a baseline exam. He/she can look inside your bladder with a cystocope to make sure there are no small growths developing. These can be easily snipped away in a painless procedure. The procedure is a bit uncomfortable but worth the discomfort to make sure your bladder is healthy. Periodic follow up is good insurance in cancer prevention.

Smoking is quickly becoming a thing of the past as people are beginning to realize it's not worth the gamble. Smoking has no health benefits. In fact, it is one of the most unhealthy things a person can do. Along with bladder cancer, smoking has been linked to emphysema, pancreatic cancer, throat cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, oral cancer, tooth decay, and damage to the eyes long term. It is believed to be a major contributor to age-related macular degeneration, a form of blindness found mostly in the elderly. People who smoke get sick more often, and they miss more time from work. Smoking is a burden for insurance companies and taxpayers. It's time to help smokers kick the habit. Help save a life. Encourage a smoker to quit. If you're a smoker, there is help available. You don't have to do it alone. Contact the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association to find smoking withdrawal programs in your city. If not for yourself, do it for those who love you.

Beverly J. Krause is a free-lance writer. Currently, she is promoting chiropractic care as an alternative choice for healthcare. She is also the social media coordinator for a chiropractor in Florida. She also writes about true-life experiences with the goal of helping others.

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Your Lifestyle and Your Risk for Bladder Cancer

By Jon Stout

Each year more and more research is conducted on how to reduce your risk of developing cancer. For some forms of cancer, it's fairly simple to understand how to reduce risk. For example, we know that most lung cancer victims are smokers, and that many cases of skin cancer are caused by unprotected over exposure to the sun.

For other cancers, understanding how to reduce our risk is not so simple, because we don't really understand what causes them.

Even in cancers that we don't fully understand, scientists are working to determine how our lifestyle might increase our risks. For example, a study was conducted in Nagoya, Japan to help better understand the lifestyle factors that might contribute to the development of urinary bladder cancer.

The study also evaluated lifestyle habits that actually reduce your risk of bladder cancer. The findings were interesting, and can help us make lifestyle choices that can protect our health.

This study examined the following lifestyle habits and their ability to increase or reduce risk for urinary bladder cancer:

Cigarette Smoking - Cigarette Smoking was found to increase the risk of developing urinary bladder cancer. The increased risk was more significant in women than men.

Drinking cocoa - Interestingly enough, drinking cocoa was associated with an elevation in risk of urinary bladder cancer in men, but not in women.

Hair Color - Women who used hair color had a slightly elevated risk of developing urinary bladder cancer if they also smoke. However, non smoking women had no significant risk factor if they used hair color.

Drinking coffee- Coffee drinking showed no elevated risk - but it showed no benefit, either.

Drinking alcohol - No significant risk was associated with alcohol intake.

Drinking sodas - No significant risk was associated with drinking sodas.

Drinking fruit juice- Fruit juice was associated with a decreased risk in developing urinary bladder cancer in men. No risk or benefit was notable in women.

Drinking Tea - Women who drank black tea and powdered green tea showed a reduced risk of developing urinary bladder cancer. The figures for men showed no increase or decrease of risk.

What's So Great About Tea and Fruit?

This study echoes the findings of many other studies, indicating that tea and fruit are of benefit in preventing cancer. Scientists are now fully beginning to understand how important these substances are to protecting our health. But, why are they so important? Well, the answer is in anti-oxidants.

Anti-oxidants have the power to combat free radicals. Free radicals are produced naturally by our body during the process of converting the food we eat to energy. These free radicals speed up the aging process, and can cause clogged arteries, cancer and other disease by damaging our cells and DNA.

Fruits, vegetables and tea are filled with anti-oxidants. A diet rich in these foods, therefore, help rid our bodies of the free radicals that put our health at risk. Some foods and beverages have more potent anti-oxidants than others. Doctors recommend that we make these "super foods" part of our everyday life.

Fruits

All fresh fruits are rich in anti-oxidants. However, the ones that are the most potent include blueberries, pomegranates, strawberries and cranberries.

Vegetables

Again, fresh vegetables supply a good dose of anti-oxidants. Tomatoes, which contain lycopene, are one of the best vegetables you can eat. However, artichokes and red beans are also very good anti-oxidant sources.

Tea

Tea is a simple way to get your anti-oxidants. Tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant. There are many types of tea on the market, but all tea comes from the same plant.

The difference between green, white and black tea comes from the way the tea is processed. Black tea is fermented; white and green are not. Green and white tea have been found to be better sources of anti-oxidants because they fermenting that black tea goes through changes the anti-oxidants into compounds that are not as healthy.

The study quoted above found that black tea had the same benefits as green tea in preventing urinary bladder cancer in women. However, most other studies conducted on the benefits of tea have concluded that green tea is better.

Green tea began gaining attention because of the significantly lower incidence of cancer and heart disease in Asian culture. Even though Asians are more likely to smoke than Americans, they have lower incidence of cancer and heart disease - even lung cancer. It appears that their high consumption of green tea protects their health in a way that other dietary habits do not.

Research has even suggested that green tea may be effective at treating patients who already have cancer. Several studies, on different forms of cancer, have shown that traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, are more effective when green tea is administered along with the treatment. Green tea seems to increase the concentration of the drugs in the cancerous cells and slows down cancer progression, perhaps even preventing metastasis.

Much of the research that has been performed has been on mice or in-vitro, though the study outlined above was performed on humans. The next step in truly understanding how foods, including tea, can protect our health, preventing cancer and other disease, is to conduct more human trials. The results could take years, because human trials on prevention require following subjects over a long period of time.

Preventing cancer is a national health concern. Certainly, much more study is required before we can gain true understanding of how to protect our health. One thing's for sure, however; a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and tea is a good start!

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea [http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea/], white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea [http://www.goldenmoontea.com/wu-long/]) and chai. Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.

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