Bladder Cancer Surgery

Dr. Hazell discusses symptoms and treatment options for gallbladder disease.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms Smoking Lung Cancer colon cancer early symptoms Mesothelioma Cancer Symptom Cancer Research breast cancer prostate cancer lung the-prostate-cancer-symptoms.blogspot.com http The prostate is a small structure, size of nuts, leading to a system for the reproduction of human beings, it surrounds the urethra, the tube, with the urine from the body – there may be various problems with urination. At the start of prostate cancer is limited to the prostate itself, the majority of patients with this type of cancer live for years without problems. Recognized in its infancy, prostate cancer can be effectively treated and cured.

Conclusion: This qualitative research provides a better understanding on how men and women describe their LUTS and their perspectives on treatment outcomes. This research can be used to inform the development of a new LUTS outcomes’ tool. (Source: International Journal of Clinical Practice)

Source: MedWorm: Bladder Cancer

I know a friend who has very bad problems with thier urine being very strong smelling and very dark…..mostly in the morning…Also there is pain after the early morning urine in lower stomache.

The prostate cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland which is the part of male reproductive system. Prostate cancer symptoms might or might not manifest in a man suffering from this condition. Being a slow developing type of cancer, some men who have the disease might not even know that they have it.

Prostate cancer symptoms are not evident in its early stage. Screening for prostate cancer is relatively simple to do, with an annual prostate examination and PSA test . Most patients with prostate cancer will be identified and with a relatively high chance of cure. Screening for diseases is a fact of modern medicine. For prostate cancer, the issue is complex, as the overall benefit to patients is far from clear.

Screening means testing for cancer before you have any symptoms. A screening test can often help find cancer at an early stage. Prostate cancer symptoms are the key to determining if one has a possibility of developing prostate cancer. With early self-diagnosis, one can make a detour away from the deadly route of prostate cancer. Urinary difficulties and incontinence are characteristic of early stage prostate cancer symptoms. Men often experience frequent urination, although the amount of urine passed may be quite small. Urinary incontinence often follows childbirth or menopause. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual looking cells. Also keep in mind that experts report that PSA tests are not reliable and they are looking for better ways to diagnose prostate cancer. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells.

Another test usually used when prostate cancer symptoms are present is a digital rectal exam (DRE) performed by the doctor, proctologist or oncologist. Blood in the urine is normally a symptom of something other than prostate cancer.

However, in people who do have prostate cancer the presence of blood in the urine may be an indicator that the condition is advanced and has spread from the prostate and into the bladder or urethra. Blood tests will usually confirm diagnosis. If left untreated the disease can get serious and lead to kidney, liver, eye, and brain damage. Pain in the bladder or frequent urge for urinating are other symptoms which might indicate bladder cancer. However, none of these symptoms can be conclusively related to bladder cancer. Pain and stiffness in the lower back, hips, upper thighs and the pelvic area can be symptoms of prostate cancer that has already spread. If these prostate cancer symptoms appear, a visit to the doctor is most imperative.

Scientists are just beginning to study how diet and other environmental factors may or may not affect prostate cancer risk. Scientists still do not know the exact cause behind prostate cancer. No one knows why some people suffer with prostate cancer while others do not.

Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in your bladder, a balloon-shaped organ in your pelvic area that stores urine. It is the fourth most common type of cancer in men and the eighth most common type in women. Tumors can develop on the surface of the bladder wall or in more severe cases, within the wall and into the underlying muscles. Cancer in the bladder typically affects older adults, though it can occur at any age. Bladder tumors are 2 to 3 times more common in men.

Causes of Bladder Cancer

Smoking, gender, and diet can affect the risk of developing bladder cancer. Bladder carcinomas are also associated with industrial exposure to aromatic amines in dyes, paints, benzedine, nitrates, solvents, leather dust, inks, combustion products, rubber, and textiles. The period between exposure to the carcinogen and development of symptoms is about 18 years.

There is currently limited evidence that diet plays a part in the development of bladder cancer, but a diet high in fruit and vegetables and low in fat may help reduce the risk. Urinary infections, kidney and bladder stones, and other causes of chronic bladder irritation have been linked with bladder cancer (especially squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder), but they do not necessarily cause bladder cancer.

Signs of Bladder Cancer

In early cases around 25% of patients have no symptoms. Commonly the first sign of bladder tumours is blood in the urine, pain after urination, urinary frequency and dribbling. However, these signs and symptoms are not specific to bladder cancer, and may also be caused by non-cancerous conditions, including prostate infections and cystitis.

Types of Bladder Cancer

Cancers are divided into superficial and invasive disease. Superficial bladder cancer is limited to the innermost linings of the bladder. Invasive bladder cancer has at least penetrated the muscular layer of the bladder wall. Less than 5% of bladder cancers in the United States are squamous cell carcinomas, however, worldwide this is the most common form, accounting for 75% of bladder carcinoma in underdeveloped nations. Urothelial carcinoma (transitional cell carcinoma) is by far the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States.

Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer

Cancer in the bladder is usually curable if it is diagnosed while the cancer is still contained in the bladder, and up to 80% of tumors are diagnosed at this early stage. A biopsy for bladder cancer is usually done during cystoscopy. CT and Ultrasound scans, urinalysis and arteriography may also be done.

Treatment for Bladder Cancer

Treatments include bladder cancer surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and biologic therapy. The stage and grade of the cancer provides important information and can help guide treatment. Superficial bladder tumors are surgically removed with chemotherapy being added to the treatment regime to help prevent recurrence. Radical cystectomy and urinary diversion (an external bag) is usually undertaken for invasive bladder cancer.

Several new compounds have shown activity against transitional cell bladder cancer and are now being tested in combination chemotherapy trials. BCG immunotherapy is the most effective intravesical therapy and involves a live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis. Immunotherapy in the form of BCG instillation is also used to treat and prevent the recurrence of superficial tumors. Alternative bladder cancer treatments such as herbal treatment may also be of some benefit.

Risk Reduction

Stopping smoking can reduce the risk of getting bladder cancer and if you have been diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer, stopping smoking will reduce the risk of developing more tumours in the future. Bladder cancer has a recurrence rate of 50%-80% and therefore, doctors recommend cystoscopy screening every three months for the first two years after treatment. People who drink a lot of fluids each day have a lower rate of bladder cancer.

Survival Rates

The prognosis depends on the stage of the cancer, whether it is superficial or invasive bladder cancer, and whether it has spread to other places in the body. Superficial bladder cancer has a good prognosis, with 5-year survival rates of 82-100%. If a tumor has grown into the wall of the bladder but has not spread to other organs, treatment usually involves surgical removal of the tumor, or combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with a five-year survival rate of 60% to 75%. Patients with more deeply invasive tumors,which are also usually less well differentiated, and those with lymphovascular invasion experience 5-year survival rates of 30% to 50% following radical cystectomy.