Bladder Cancer Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Bladder cancer is a disease that occurs due to the emergence of malignant tumor cells in the bladder that destroy normal cells and tissues around the bladder. This disease generally occurs in those aged 55 years and over and is experienced more by men than women.
Based on the type of cell, there are various types of bladder cancer. However, the most common is transitional cell carcinoma.
Symptom
The main symptom of bladder cancer is bloody urination. The thing that distinguishes it from other diseases that can also cause bloody urine is that, in bladder cancer, this complaint is not accompanied by any pain or discomfort.
In addition, general symptoms of cancer may also occur, such as prolonged fever, frequent sweating at night, or continuing to lose weight for no apparent reason.
Reason
The exact cause of bladder cancer is not known. However, there are several conditions that make a person more susceptible to bladder cancer, namely:
- Having bladder abnormalities since birth
- Frequent bladder infections
- Have experienced radiation in the lower abdominal area
- Often dehydrated
- Consuming water containing the chemical arsenic
- Those who work in factories for the rubber, textile, or paint industries, and are often exposed to the chemicals
Diagnosis
If the doctor finds suspicions of bladder cancer during the examination, several further tests will be recommended by the doctor, namely:
- Urine cytology examination: this examination is carried out by taking a sample of the patient’s urine to check for the possibility of malignant cells in the urine. Unfortunately, in this examination, many bladder cancer patients show negative results.
- CT scan: done to see if there is a tumor in the bladder. CT scans are generally performed using a contrast agent to color malignant tumor cells.
- Cystoscopy and biopsy: If the possibility of cancer is seen through a CT scan or urine cytology examination, a cystoscopy examination will be performed to confirm it. The trick is to insert a kind of camera through the urethra to the bladder. If a suspicion of cancer is found, a small amount of bladder tissue (biopsy) will be taken for examination in the laboratory.
Treatment
Treatment of bladder cancer depends on the stage of the cancer and the patient’s overall condition. There are four types of treatment that are commonly used, namely surgery, chemotherapy, biological therapy, and radiation.
If the cancer is detected at an early stage and is still small, treatment is carried out by taking cancer cells through surgery. However, if the size is large enough but still confined to the bladder, then the operation performed is bladder removal surgery (cystectomy). If a cystectomy must be performed, an artificial bladder or a catheter will be used to urinate after that.
Chemotherapy, biologic therapy, radiation are treatments to complement surgery. The goal is to kill the remnants of cancer cells that cannot be removed through surgery.
If the cancer cells have spread beyond the bladder, then surgery is not possible. Things that can be done are chemotherapy methods, biological therapy, or radiation to shrink cancer cells so that the symptoms experienced by sufferers will be lighter.
Prevention
Until now there is nothing that can completely prevent bladder cancer. But by adopting a healthy lifestyle, the risk of bladder cancer can be reduced. The trick is to:
- Eat foods high in fiber (vegetables and fruit)
- Drink 1.5–2 liters of water per day
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke