Bladder Cancer Symptoms

Bladder cancer can come in several different forms. Based upon what the cells look like under a microscope, bladder cancer will be placed into one of these four categories:

· Transitional cell carcinoma (also known as urothelial carcinoma)

· Squamous cell carcinoma

· Adenocarcinoma

· Small cell

Signs and symptoms of this type of cancer may not be as obvious as you would think. If you think that you may have something wrong, you will want to contact your physician as soon as possible.

Signs and Symptoms

There are several different signs and symptoms of this type of cancer; however, just because you may have a symptom, like blood in the urine, it does not mean that you have this type of cancer. This is why you want to consult with your physician as soon as possible. The signs and symptoms of this type of cancer are as follows:

· Blood in the urine

· Change in bladder habits

· Irritative symptoms

For most people, blood in the urine is the most common symptom of this type of cancer. Known as hematuria, blood in the urine does not necessarily mean that you have this type of cancer, however. Hematuria can be caused by other factors. You will want to look for recurrence. If it is this type of cancer causing the hematuria, then if the blood does disappear, it always comes back. Hematuria will cause a discoloration in your urine. The amount of blood in the urine will determine how dark the urine will be. It could be anywhere from very pale yellow-red to a very dark red.

Experiencing changes in your bladder habits can be another sign of this type of cancer. Having to urinate more often than usual can be a sign. Keep an eye on your bladder habits so that you will be able to catch any unhealthy habits as early as possible. This can help make the prognosis better.

Irritative symptoms such as experiencing burning during urination, and feeling like you have to urinate but then cannot, are also signs. Do not let these signs fool you, though. More than likely, symptoms like these are caused by other problems such as infections.

Detection - There are many different ways that your physician will be able to determine your diagnosis. Just like with any other disease, tests can be performed to determine whether you have bladder cancer. Here are some of the tests:

· Medical History/Physical Exam

· Cystoscopy

· Urine Cytology

· Urine culture

· Biopsy

· Bladder biopsy

· Needle biopsy

· Tumor marker studies

· Intravenous pyelogram

· Retrograde pyelogram

· Chest x-ray

· CT scan

· MRI

· Ultrasound

· PET scan

These options offer blood tests, urine tests, and imaging tests. Your physician may order just one of these or a combination of several together to help make the diagnosis. Bladder cancer can be detected early, and if it is, that helps your prognosis. It is in your best interest to ask for a screening. The screening is used to look for the disease in a person who shows no signs and symptoms of the disease.

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