Bladder cancer is pretty much undermined and overshadowed by cancers like skin, lung, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancer. This is partially understandable, given that bladder cancer makes as little as 5 percent of all cancers in the U.S, compared to breast cancer which makes up 12 percent of cancer diagnosis. In addition, 40-50 percent of those over the age of 65 have skin cancer and 1 in 4 Americans have lung cancer.
But, 5 percent is still a large number. The American Cancer society estimates that up to 80,000 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in 2017. Unfortunately, most of the symptoms of bladder cancer can be misconstrued for other diseases, which is the reason why many of the patients eventually die from it.
What is Bladder Cancer?
The cells in the bladder can change and stop growing or behaving as they
are supposed to. The same changes can result in cancer, and some of
those are as follows:
Non-cancerous conditions like kidney stones and urinary tract infections
Benign tumors like fibroma or papilloma
However, these changes can eventually cause malignant tumors and cancer.
Types of Bladder Cancer
Non-invasive Bladder Cancer occurs in the cells of the urothelium.
Invasive Bladder Cancer occurs when the cancer spreads to the bladder wall muscles and the connective tissues.
Treatment for Bladder Cancer
Needless to say, the treatment depends on the grade, category, and stage
of the cancer. The primary methods of treatment for this type of cancer
include:
Radiation
Surgery
Immunotherapy
Chemotherapy
13 Signs and Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
The symptoms can be divided into two groups: early and late.
Early symptoms of Bladder Cancer:
Difficulty urinating
Frequent need to urinate
Blood in the urine
Burning sensation while urinating
Intense, suffer need to urinate
Late Symptoms of Bladder Cancer:
Lump in the pelvis
Change in bowel habits
Swelling in the legs
Fever
Anemia
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Pain in the rectum, anus, pelvis, flank, or in the bones
How to Prevent Bladder Cancer
Needless to say, prevention is always better than the cure. While many
risk factors, like being male, age, being Caucasian, or having a
bladder-related birth defect, are unchangeable, many of other things
that increase the chance of bladder cancer are linked to toxins and
toxic build up.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking brings in countless cancer-causing chemicals in the body. Not
only should you stay away from smoking, but avoid being in the presence
of smokers, too.
Use caution and reduce exposure to chemicals
Many jobs require use of dangerous chemicals. However, if you want to
stay on the safe side, it is important to take safety precautions,
including wearing face masks and protective clothes. Another thing you
can do to minimize your exposure to toxic chemicals is to replace
processed foods with healthier foods items and swap cleaning supplies
and make up with natural alternatives.
Drink lots of water
Staying well hydrated during the day dilutes the urine stimulates
urination, meaning that you will be filtering and eliminating waste from
the kidneys regularly, giving them less time to remain in the bladder.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables
Last but not least, eating a variety of fruits and veggies ensures a
high fiber intake as well as high intake of cancer-fighting
antioxidants. The fiber promotes regular bowel movements while the
antioxidants kill off free radicals before they get the chance to cause
cancer.