Can early-stage bladder cancer be cured?

Written by Hu Zhong Dong
Medical Oncology
Updated on February 26, 2025
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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.

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What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer's most common symptom is a consistent presence of painless gross hematuria. Some patients also exhibit frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination as initial signs of bladder irritation. In advanced local stages, palpable pelvic tumors can be detected in patients, with symptoms such as urinary retention, lower abdominal pain, and inability to urinate. In the late stages of bladder cancer, patients may experience weight loss, back and flank pain, and signs of renal failure among other clinical manifestations.

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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.

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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%.

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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.

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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.