In India, more than 20,000 bladder cancer cases are reported every year, causing more than 11,000 deaths, according to Globocan 2022.
Cancer of the urinary bladder or often termed bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Among the various types of bladder cancers, the most common type is urothelial carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma. Globally, the incidence of bladder cancer is steadily increasing, with its prevalence being 3 per cent of all cancer diagnosis. Also, a high number of cases are being diagnosed in developed and developing countries. In India too, the incidence is more than 20,000 cases every year, with more than 11,000 deaths, according to Globocan 2022. With this, there is a need to strengthen efforts towards early diagnosis of bladder cancer.
Talking to the HeatlhSite, Dr Uday Chandankhede, Consultant Uro-Oncologist from Wockhardt Hospitals, Nagpur, answers some of the FAQs about bladder cancer.
Q. Is bladder cancer treatable?
Most bladder cancer cases are highly treatable, however some of the early-stage bladder cancers can recur even after successful treatment and removal of cancer cells. Hence, bladder cancer patients usually need stringent follow-up consultation and regular tests like cystoscopy and urine cytology, to monitor recurrence and progression of cancer.
Q. What increases the risk of getting bladder cancer?
Tobacco use in any form is the major cause of bladder cancer, accounting for an estimated 40-60 per cent of the total cases. Other risk factors are occupational exposure to amines, dyes and hydrocarbon, chronic urinary bladder infection, and long standing bladder stone.
Q. What are the early signs and symptoms of bladder cancer?
Presence of blood in urine: Hematuria (meaning blood in urine) can be one of the early signs of bladder cancer. Urination can be painless, gross and sometimes associated with passage of blood clot. However, one needs to be careful that blood in urine may not always be a symptom of bladder cancer. In some cases, there can be common infections like urinary tract infections, benign tumours, long standing kidney stones or bladder stones or any other kidney related disorders.
READ RELATED: Aldi Plans to Open More Than 100 New Stores in 2023—Here’s Where The Discount Chain Is Headed Next
Pain while urinating: Usually one of the early symptoms of bladder cancer can also be pain while urination. Again, while this can also be assumed as urinary tract infection, one needs to consult a medical professional if the symptoms persist for more than two or three weeks.
Feeling the need to urinate, despite the bladder not being full: One may experience an urge to urinate immediately and frequently, even when the bladder is not full. Getting up frequently at night to urinate and having trouble urinating due to a weak urine stream.
Apart from these early symptoms, some of the symptoms for advanced bladder cancer can be prolonged back pain, swelling in feet, unexplained weight loss, appetite loss and difficulty in urinating.
Q. How can we avoid bladder cancer?
It is imperative to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, no smoking, regular exercise, regular health checkups and speaking to your doctor for cancer screening to ensure early diagnosis.
Total Wellness is now just a click away.
Follow us on
window.addEventListener(‘load’, (event) => {
// $(document).ready(function(){
$(‘#commentbtn’).on(“click”,function(){
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
$(“.cmntbox”).toggle();
});
// });
});
