The difference between bladder tumor and bladder cancer is that a bladder tumor may be benign or malignant, whereas bladder cancer specifically refers to a malignant tumor.

Written by Guan Hai Fang
Urology
Updated on September 04, 2024
00:00
00:00

The difference between bladder tumors and bladder cancer generally lies in whether the growth inside the bladder is benign or malignant. Normally, nothing should grow inside the bladder. However, if a growth does appear, it can be referred to as a bladder tumor if it is benign, or bladder cancer if it is malignant. Bladder tumors are typically round with clear boundaries, which can be observed through ultrasound or cystoscopy. On the other hand, if the growth in the bladder resembles seaweed or cauliflower, with unclear boundaries, erosion, bleeding, or other symptoms, it can be referred to as bladder cancer. Generally, the primary treatment for such cases is surgical removal.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
41sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guan Hai Fang
Urology
45sec home-news-image

The difference between bladder tumor and bladder cancer is that a bladder tumor may be benign or malignant, whereas bladder cancer specifically refers to a malignant tumor.

The difference between bladder tumors and bladder cancer generally lies in whether the growth inside the bladder is benign or malignant. Normally, nothing should grow inside the bladder. However, if a growth does appear, it can be referred to as a bladder tumor if it is benign, or bladder cancer if it is malignant. Bladder tumors are typically round with clear boundaries, which can be observed through ultrasound or cystoscopy. On the other hand, if the growth in the bladder resembles seaweed or cauliflower, with unclear boundaries, erosion, bleeding, or other symptoms, it can be referred to as bladder cancer. Generally, the primary treatment for such cases is surgical removal.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guan Hai Fang
Urology
1min 6sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jian
Urology
52sec home-news-image

Is bladder cancer scary?

Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor in urological surgery, primarily occurring in the bladder mucosa. Its symptoms include painless, intermittent gross hematuria, with nearly 100% of patients experiencing blood in the urine. The presence of hematuria should highly raise the suspicion of bladder cancer, and the examinations mainly include routine urinalysis and an ultrasound of the urinary system. Bladder cancer is not to be feared if it is detected and treated early. The surgery can be relatively simple, and minimally invasive treatment through the urethra, such as plasma electrosection or laser excision, is possible. Since bladder cancer can recur, postoperative management should include bladder perfusion therapy and regular cystoscopy re-examinations. Thus, bladder cancer is not to be feared, as early detection and treatment can lead to a cure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Zi Hua
Oncology
59sec home-news-image

The most common clinical manifestations of bladder cancer

The most common clinical manifestations of bladder cancer include: one initial clinical presentation is hematuria, which typically appears as painless, intermittent gross hematuria, sometimes it can also manifest as microscopic hematuria. The hematuria may occur only once or last from one day to several days, and it can subside or stop on its own. The color of the hematuria can be light red, possibly dark brown, generally dark red. The amount of bleeding and the duration of the hematuria are not necessarily proportional to the malignancy degree, size, scope, and number of the tumor. Additionally, bladder cancer patients can experience symptoms of bladder irritation, such as frequent urination, urgent urination, painful urination, and difficulties in urination, etc.