The bladder is a hollow organ that stores urine until it can be eliminated. It is located in the lower abdomen, which is typically where one feels pressure when he or she must urinate. Bladder cancer research has concluded that this disease is the 6th most common type of cancer in the Western Hemisphere. Fortunately, treatments are available if the condition is caught early, which can potentially save the patient's life.
Symptoms include blood in one's urine, frequency, pain upon urination and low back pain. However, these symptoms are not always a sign of a malignancy, as infections, cysts, and other conditions may also result in these occurrences. For this reason, prompt medical evaluation is necessary when such symptoms are present.
Risk factors for developing this condition include smoking tobacco products and exposure to specific chemicals. Bladder cancer is often the result of exposure to the sulfur found in cigarettes. This substance causes irritation in the lining of this organ, which in turn makes it more susceptible to the multiplication of free radicals.
For reasons that researchers have not yet determined, men are at a greater risk for this condition than women. In a similar way, Caucasians are at a higher risk for malignancies of the bladder that are Asians or Africans. This is also a phenomenon for which there is no known reason. Additionally, the risk of developing a malignancy of any type increases as one ages. This is likely because as people grow older, their immune systems naturally weaken. It may also be due to hereditary factors that do not manifest until one has reached a significant age.
Treatments for this type of cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. In some cases, biologic therapies are used as well. The latter are techniques used to encourage one's own immune system to fight any malignancies present in his or her body. Although further research is needed regarding this technique, medical scientists are optimistic about the results of various preliminary studies.
The kind of therapy recommended will depend on the cancer's stage. If it is caught in what is commonly called stage I, meaning it has not invaded other organs yet, it is usually cured with surgery. Stage II tumors are those that have metastasized to nearby tissue. In such cases, the patient usually receives radiation, or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, depending on the area to which the disease has spread. Tumors classified as stage III or stage IV are typically treated with chemotherapy, or combination of all the aforementioned therapies.
For low-risk superficial tumors, such as those seen with stage I malignancies, the chances of recurrence are approximately 15 percent. Interestingly, however, when they do recur, the tumors are typically no more aggressive than those the person experienced originally. This means that if the disease was caught early and subsequently cured the first time, it is likely that this will be the outcome if it returns.
Additional bladder cancer research is currently being conducted to find more effective ways to both treat and prevent this disease. Although not a common condition, it can be deadly. Therefore, anyone experiencing the aforementioned symptoms should seek medical attention without delay.
Symptoms include blood in one's urine, frequency, pain upon urination and low back pain. However, these symptoms are not always a sign of a malignancy, as infections, cysts, and other conditions may also result in these occurrences. For this reason, prompt medical evaluation is necessary when such symptoms are present.
Risk factors for developing this condition include smoking tobacco products and exposure to specific chemicals. Bladder cancer is often the result of exposure to the sulfur found in cigarettes. This substance causes irritation in the lining of this organ, which in turn makes it more susceptible to the multiplication of free radicals.
For reasons that researchers have not yet determined, men are at a greater risk for this condition than women. In a similar way, Caucasians are at a higher risk for malignancies of the bladder that are Asians or Africans. This is also a phenomenon for which there is no known reason. Additionally, the risk of developing a malignancy of any type increases as one ages. This is likely because as people grow older, their immune systems naturally weaken. It may also be due to hereditary factors that do not manifest until one has reached a significant age.
Treatments for this type of cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. In some cases, biologic therapies are used as well. The latter are techniques used to encourage one's own immune system to fight any malignancies present in his or her body. Although further research is needed regarding this technique, medical scientists are optimistic about the results of various preliminary studies.
The kind of therapy recommended will depend on the cancer's stage. If it is caught in what is commonly called stage I, meaning it has not invaded other organs yet, it is usually cured with surgery. Stage II tumors are those that have metastasized to nearby tissue. In such cases, the patient usually receives radiation, or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, depending on the area to which the disease has spread. Tumors classified as stage III or stage IV are typically treated with chemotherapy, or combination of all the aforementioned therapies.
For low-risk superficial tumors, such as those seen with stage I malignancies, the chances of recurrence are approximately 15 percent. Interestingly, however, when they do recur, the tumors are typically no more aggressive than those the person experienced originally. This means that if the disease was caught early and subsequently cured the first time, it is likely that this will be the outcome if it returns.
Additional bladder cancer research is currently being conducted to find more effective ways to both treat and prevent this disease. Although not a common condition, it can be deadly. Therefore, anyone experiencing the aforementioned symptoms should seek medical attention without delay.
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