What is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer can be classified in two ways- the type of bladder cells the cancer begins in, and how far the cancer has spread when it’s first diagnosed.
The most common type of bladder cancer is transitional cell carcinoma, which accounts for 90% of cases and starts in the inner lining of the bladder. Less common types include squamous cell bladder cancer and adenocarcinoma cancer.
Non-invasive bladder cancer is a term used to describe cancer that has not spread beyond the lining of the bladder. Muscle invasive bladder cancer describes cancer that has spread into the surrounding muscles.
How common is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the UK. 10,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Women are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer than men, and the risk of developing bladder cancer increases with age.
Smoking is responsible for half of all bladder cancer cases.
What are the symptoms of Bladder Cancer?
Symptoms include blood in your urine, needing to urinate more frequently, having a sudden urge to urinate, and pain when urinating. Less common symptoms include pelvic pain, bone pain and weight loss.
How is Bladder Cancer treated?
Bladder cancer can be treated by surgery to remove tumours followed by a course of chemotherapy.
If access to Specialist Treatment centres is important, choose a policy with London Hospital coverage.