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Bladder cancer
Can early-stage bladder cancer be cured?
Bladder cancer is a relatively common malignant tumor in the urinary system and tends to occur more frequently in males, with the incidence rate being three to four times higher than that in females. Painless hematuria is likely to be caused by bladder cancer. Therefore, it is crucial to be cautious when hematuria occurs and to seek medical examination at a hospital as soon as possible, such as urinalysis and bladder ultrasound exams, which are non-invasive and relatively inexpensive. Early-stage bladder cancer can potentially be cured, especially if it is superficial. However, patients with poorly differentiated and highly malignant forms may undergo infusion chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Studies have shown that patients with minor bladder cancer, after undergoing systematic treatment, have a relatively high five-year survival rate.
Can urine odor be a sign of bladder cancer?
Urine with an unusual odor may be caused by bladder cancer, but the presence of an odor alone cannot be used to diagnose bladder cancer. Clinically, urine with an odor is commonly associated with urinary tract infections, as patients with such infections tend to have a higher amount of inflammatory secretions in their urine. Additionally, patients with urinary tract infections may lose some body water through sweating, leading to more concentrated urine, which can increase the odor. Bladder cancer patients are more susceptible to urinary tract infections, so they may also experience odorous urine. Clinically, bladder cancer is diagnosed through a combination of the patient's symptoms and supportive diagnostic tests. In the early stages of the disease, bladder cancer typically presents as painless hematuria (blood in the urine) that persists for an extended period. A routine urinalysis can be performed to check for elevated red blood cells in the urine. If bladder cancer is suspected, a cystoscopy can be conducted to identify any masses in the bladder and take biopsy samples for pathological examination. The presence of tumor cells in these samples generally confirms a diagnosis of bladder cancer.
Is bladder cancer hereditary?
Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor in urology, occurring on the mucosa of the bladder and is also one of the top ten common tumors globally. The etiology of bladder cancer is complex, involving both intrinsic genetic factors and external environmental factors, which gives bladder cancer a hereditary tendency. Notable among the major risk factors are smoking and occupational exposure to aromatic amines, with 30% to 50% of bladder cancers caused by smoking. The incidence of bladder cancer significantly increases with the duration of smoking. The initial clinical manifestation of bladder cancer is usually hematuria, typically painless and intermittent gross hematuria. The presence of blood in urine should prompt further diagnostic testing to rule out malignant tumors in the bladder.
How is bladder cancer diagnosed?
Firstly, imaging examinations such as ultrasound can be conducted, which if reveal tumors larger than 0.5 cm can serve as an initial screening for patients; IVU (Intravenous Urography) can show larger tumors as filling defects. Cystoscopy can also be performed by inserting a cystoscope to directly examine the bladder's shape, size, etc. If it appears round, with clear boundaries and without erosion, it is generally benign; if it has a cauliflower-like or seaweed-like appearance, it is generally malignant bladder cancer. Urine tests can also be conducted; cells from tumors found in fresh urine can lead to cytological examination of urine as an initial screening. Additionally, if conditions permit, a physical examination including a bimanual examination of the bladder can be done to preliminarily assess the tumor's size, the extent of invasion, depth, and its relationship with the pelvic wall.
Early symptoms of bladder cancer
Hematuria is the most common and earliest symptom of bladder cancer, with 85% of patients experiencing intermittent gross hematuria which can decrease or stop on its own, often giving patients a false impression of improvement or cure, thus delaying treatment. Sometimes, hematuria is also found under a microscope, and the amount of bleeding is not necessarily consistent with the size, number, or malignancy of the tumor. The hematuria from bladder tumors can initially be mild, and other symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination may also occur; these are all manifestations of bladder tumors.
What is the best medicine for bladder cancer infusion?
Bladder perfusion chemotherapy involves infusing chemotherapy drugs directly into the bladder through a catheter to control tumor growth and reduce the recurrence rate after surgery. Generally, the drugs with significant effects on bladder perfusion fall into three categories. The first category is the anthracyclines, including doxorubicin, epirubicin, and pirarubicin. The second category includes platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin. The third category is vinorelbine. According to current big data research, vinorelbine bladder perfusion tends to have a lower recurrence rate. Without postoperative bladder perfusion chemotherapy, 60%-70% of patients will eventually experience recurrence. With bladder perfusion chemotherapy, the recurrence rate can be reduced to 20%-30%.
Does bladder cancer require the removal of the bladder?
Whether or not to remove the entire bladder in cases of bladder cancer depends on whether the tumor has invaded the base layer and whether there is distant metastasis. For non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, where the muscle layer is not invaded and there is no distant metastasis, typically found in stage 0 and stage 1 bladder cancer patients, there is no need for complete removal of the bladder. The standard treatment in such cases generally involves transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. If the tumor has invaded the base layer but there is no distant metastasis, termed muscle-invasive bladder cancer, patients in this category require radical cystectomy, which involves the removal of the entire bladder. If there is distant metastasis, termed metastatic bladder cancer, surgical treatment is not pursued; instead, palliative chemotherapy is the primary approach.
Is bladder cancer contagious?
Bladder cancer is not contagious, so there is no need to worry about that. Bladder cancer occurs when there is a cancerous transformation of bladder tissue, leading to the formation of bladder tumors. If the tumors are malignant, they are generally termed bladder cancer. Causes of bladder cancer can include long-term exposure to certain carcinogens, such as occupations involving dyes, leather, or paintwork. Another carcinogenic factor is smoking, which is related to about one-third of bladder cancer cases. Chronic infection or prolonged irritation by foreign bodies can also increase the risk of bladder cancer, as seen in cases with bladder stones, bladder diverticula, or chronic cystitis.
Is there a benign form of bladder cancer?
Tumors are divided into two main categories: benign tumors and malignant tumors. The malignant tumors that occur in epithelial tissues are called cancers, such as lung cancer, bladder cancer, and breast cancer. Therefore, bladder cancer is malignant; there are no benign bladder cancers. Cancer, in contrast to benign tumors, tends to metastasize to distant locations, grow rapidly, and can spread through blood, lymph nodes, and local invasion. Thus, it is termed as cancer and is malignant, which means there is no such thing as benign bladder cancer.
How to prevent bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system. Currently, the exact cause of bladder cancer is not clear. In terms of prevention, it is generally necessary to drink more water, urinate more frequently, try not to smoke, and reduce exposure to chemical irritants, such as paint, chemical substances, etc. Additionally, an annual physical examination is recommended to enable early detection and early treatment.