Does Bladder Cancer Cause Blood In Urine

Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer

Blood in your urine is the most common symptom of bladder cancer.

The medical name for this is haematuria and it’s usually painless. You may notice streaks of blood in your urine or the blood may turn your urine brown. The blood isn’t always noticeable and it may come and go.

Less common symptoms of bladder cancer include:

• a need to urinate on a more frequent basis
• sudden urges to urinate
• a burning sensation when passing urine

If bladder cancer reaches an advanced stage and begins to spread, symptoms can include:

• swelling of the legs

If You See Blood In Your Urine And Its From Bladder Cancer Would It Necessarily Keep Showing With Every Single Void Thereafter

Or should you stop worrying if youve gone two weeks without seeing blood in your urine?

A tumor can bleed, and this is how blood would mix in with your urine.

Once the cancer begins bleeding, would it always be in a bleeding state, and hence, nearly all of your subsequent voids would present with discoloration caused by blood?

Hematuria is the name for blood in the urine. When its called gross hematuria, this means it can be seen with the naked eye.

Hematuria caused by bladder cancer is usually intermittent and is likely to appear red or pink, says Kiarash Michel, MD, a urologic oncological surgeon with Cedars Sinai who specializes in robotic surgery, and is cofounder of MDbio, a plant-based medicine company.

Dr. Michel adds, It is possible that there is variety from patient to patient in terms of how often blood in the urine would be detectable to the naked eye.

In fact, if you detect hematuria, and its from bladder cancer, a few months may go by before the next time you see it even if you get a good look at every single void, including overnight.

When bladder cancer is caught early, the prognosis is excellent. Do NOT delay seeing a urologist if you fear that you might have bladder cancer.

Blood in the urine does not mean that the cancer is advanced . It may still be in a highly curable stage.

Even if you dont have other symptoms , you should always promptly see a doctor if you think your urine might have blood in it.

Questions To Ask The Doctor

• What treatment do you think is best for me?
• Whats the goal of this treatment? Do you think it could cure the cancer?
• Will treatment include surgery? If so, who will do the surgery?
• What will the surgery be like?
• How will I pee after surgery?
• Will I have other types of treatment, too?
• Whats the goal of these treatments?
• What side effects could I have from these treatments?
• Is there a clinical trial that might be right for me?
• What about treatments like special vitamins or diets that friends tell me about? How will I know if they are safe?
• What should I do to be ready for treatment?
• Is there anything I can do to help the treatment work better?
• Whats the next step?

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Common Factors Causing Red Coloration Of Urine

In some cases, the red coloring in your urine might not actually be blood. Red coloring in urine can come from:

• Food: Certain foods, like beetroot, blackberries, blueberries, and rhubarb, can turn urine red or pink.

• Medication: Some medications can cause the discoloration of urine.

If you think food or medicine might be the cause of discoloration, the red color of your urine could disappear in a few days. However, you should still contact your doctor when you notice discoloration because most people have a difficult time telling the difference between blood and other coloring in urine.

Types Of Bladder Cancer

Once diagnosed, bladder cancer can be classified by how far it has spread.

If the cancerous cells are contained inside the lining of the bladder, doctors describe it as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This is the most common type of bladder cancer, accounting for 7 out of 10 cases. Most people don’t die as a result of this type of bladder cancer.

When the cancerous cells spread beyond the lining, into the surrounding muscles of the bladder, it’s referred to as muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This is less common, but has a higher chance of spreading to other parts of the body and can be fatal.

If bladder cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s known as locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.

Read more about diagnosing bladder cancer

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How Can Nerve Stimulation Help Overactive Bladder

There are several treatments that involve stimulating your nerves to help improve overactive bladder. Your nerves help communicate the message that your bladder needs to be emptied to your brain. By treating the nerves, your healthcare provider can improve your bladder control. Nerve stimulation is a reversible treatment that is considered when conservative treatments have not worked or have not been tolerated. Conservative treatments include behavioral therapies and medications.

There are several types of nerve stimulation treatments. These can include:

Bladder Cancer Can Cause Changes In Urination

In addition to blood in the urine, bladder cancer may cause urinary changes, such as:

• Pain or burning sensations during urination
• A need to urinate more frequently than usual
• Urinary urgency, even when the bladder is not full
• A weak urine stream
• A need to urinate many times during the night

Much like bloody urine, however, these symptoms are more likely to have other causes, such as a urinary tract infection, overactive bladder or enlarged prostate .

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Urinalysis Testing For Blood In Urine

Urinalysis can be used to test a patients urine sample for the presence of blood in the urine.1-3 The medical term for the symptom of blood in the urine is hematuria. Many patients diagnosed with bladder cancer have the symptom of blood in the urine that is easily visible, but in some patients the amount of blood is so small that it is not visible to the naked eye. Urinalysis can detect very small amounts of blood in the urine, which can sometimes help to diagnose bladder cancer at an earlier stage, if bladder cancer is present. Urinalysis can also be used to check the levels of other substances, such as sugar, protein, and white blood cells, in a patients urine.

If You Have Bladder Cancer Will Any Given Urine Sample Reveal Microscopic Traces Of Blood

Bladder cancer can cause bleeding. The blood can sometimes be visible in the urine stream or toilet bowl. This is called gross hematuria.

However, if its not visible to the naked eye, it can still be detected via urinalysis.

The question then becomes whether or not it would always show in a urine sample, once the tumor starts causing any degree of bleeding.

Not necessarily, begins Kiarash Michel, MD, a urologic oncological surgeon with Cedars Sinai who specializes in robotic surgery, and is cofounder of MDbio, a plant-based medicine company.

Dr. Michel explains, While bladder cancer is a common cause of blood in the urine of otherwise healthy patients, it may not be detectable in every urinalysis and depends largely on the stage of cancer, the type of cancer and especially how much cancer has affected the structure of the bladder.

Hematuria caused by bladder cancer stems from the hemorrhaging of tumors on the inner lining of the bladder.

The severity of the bleeding may be affected by the proximity of the tumor to blood vessels and how invasive the tumor is .

However, hematuria may also be caused by sloughing of tumor mass, side effects from radiation therapy, cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis , or other sources such as prostate cancer or a severe infection.

Bladder cancer graphic.Cancer Research UK uploader, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Early Warning Signs Of Bladder Cancer

Blood in the urine : This is typically the first sign of bladder cancer. It may be present on a regular basis or disappear and reappear over the course of days or weeks. Sometimes blood is present in such a small amount that it cant be seen with the naked eye, called microscopic hematuria, but a urine test may be able to detect it.

Even a small amount of blood may cause the color of urine to change to orange, pink or, rarely, dark red. When blood causes urines color to change, its called gross hematuria.

Early-stage bladder cancer doesn’t usually cause pain or other symptoms besides bleeding. But blood in the urine doesn’t always mean there’s a tumor in the bladder. It’s more likely to be caused by a less serious condition, such as an infection. kidney stones, bladder stones, or noncancerous tumors or kidney diseases.

Its also important to note that blood from menstruation may show up in a womans urine test, which may cause a false-positive test result. In this case, doctors may recommend repeating the test.

Urination changes: Changes in urination are more commonly a sign of a less serious condition, such as a benign tumor, infection, urinary tract infection, bladder stones, an overactive bladder or, in men, an enlarged prostate. But they also may be another early sign of bladder cancer symptoms. These changes may include:

Bladder cancer treatment: The care you need is one call away

Common Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer In Men

If you are a man over the age of 55 and experiencing symptoms like lower back pain and difficulty urinating, it may be easy to dismiss these problems as old age setting in. But these symptoms can be red flags of something more serious, like bladder cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2021 more than 83,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with bladder cancer, the majority of which will be men. Men are three to four times more likely than women to develop bladder cancer. The good news is, bladder cancer has a five-year survival rate of 77%, and catching it early provides the best opportunity for treatment. Were taking a closer look at why men are more susceptible than women to get bladder cancer and sharing common symptoms of bladder cancer in men, so you can spot the signs early.

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Experience The Blessing Difference: Treating Blood In Urine

When you see Blessings urologist for blood in your urine, know that you are coming to a place with:

• Specialty care: Our urologists have specialized training in the field.

• Complete diagnostic capabilities: We perform a complete workup on every person with blood in their urine. If it is a symptom of a more serious condition, we want to catch it and treat it early. Tests include:

• CT scan, a noninvasive test that produces cross-sectional images of the kidneys, ureters and bladder

• Urine sample, which we study for cancer cells or infection

• Cystoscopy, a procedure that allows us to look inside the urethra and bladder and involves only minimal discomfort

Find The Cause Of Your Hematuria

If you ever notice blood or red discoloration in your urine, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your doctor especially if it persists for more than a few days. Seeking advice from a trusted medical professional will allow you to determine the cause of your hematuria and begin treatment to restore your health.

In order to rule out bladder cancer as a cause of hematuria, your doctor might have you use Cxbladder, an easy-to-use urine test that can rule out bladder cancer and help narrow down your diagnosis. Cxbladder is an accurate and reliable bladder cancer detection test that can put your mind at ease and increase confidence in your treatment plan. For more information on how Cxbladder can help, reach out to us today.Contact Us Today to Learn More

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How Does Bladder Cancer Cause Fatigue Or Weakness

Patients with advanced bladder cancer may experience the symptoms of fatigue and weakness.3,4 One reason is that cancer cells use up many of the nutrients in the body, which can prevent healthy cells from growing and functioning as they should. The cancer cells may also be affecting the function of other organs and systems in the body, such as the lymph nodes, kidney, liver, or lungs. Fatigue and weakness can also be symptoms of bladder cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapies.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer

Many people with bladder cancer can have blood in their urine but no pain while urinating. There are a number of symptoms that might indicate bladder cancer like fatigue, weight loss, and bone tenderness, and these can indicate more advanced disease. You should pay particular attention to the following symptoms:

• an intravenous pyelogram

Your doctor can rate bladder cancer with a staging system that goes from stages 0 to 4 to identify how far the cancer has spread. The stages of bladder cancer mean the following:

• Stage 0 bladder cancer hasnt spread past the lining of the bladder.
• Stage 1 bladder cancer has spread past the lining of the bladder, but it hasnt reached the layer of muscle in the bladder.
• Stage 2 bladder cancer has spread to the layer of muscle in the bladder.
• Stage 3 bladder cancer has spread into the tissues that surround the bladder.
• Stage 4 bladder cancer has spread past the bladder to the neighboring areas of the body.

Your doctor will work with you to decide what treatment to provide based on the type and stage of your bladder cancer, your symptoms, and your overall health.

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Urine Cytology Tests To Detect Cancer Cells

In a urine cytology test, a sample of the patients urine is analyzed under a microscope.1,2 This test can reveal the presence of cancer cells or cells that are pre-cancerous, meaning that they are more likely to become cancer cells later. However, this test is not enough to provide a definite diagnosis on its ownit is possible for cancer cells to be present in the bladder even if no cancer cells are detected in the urine sample.

Diagnosis Of An Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder can be diagnosed during a physical exam with your doctor. Your physician will take a full medical history, review symptoms and perform either a pelvic exam or a prostate exam depending on your sex.

Other diagnostic tests that your doctor may order include:

• UrinalysisA urinalysis can help diagnose other conditions that need to be treated.
• Post-void residual Measures the amount of urine in the bladder after you urinate.
• Urine flow rate measurementThis data can show how your urine flow rate has changed.
• Bladder pressure testingCystometry measures pressure in the bladder and surrounding area as the bladder fills. This test can determine the cause of the contractions.

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Can Frequent Urination Be Controlled Or Stopped

Frequent urination can be controlled, and often, stopped over time and with treatment. Your healthcare provider will usually start by determining the cause of your symptom. If the condition can be treated, you should see a decrease in how often you need to urinate. Treatment depends completely on the condition. In cases like a UTI, you may need an antibiotic medication. This may be prescribed by your healthcare provider and you should feel better once you have finished the medication. Other conditions like diabetes or prostate problems will require a trip to see a specialist. The specialist will work with you to manage your symptoms and improve your daily routine. If your healthcare provider has diagnosed you with overactive bladder syndrome, pelvic floor physical therapy may help and there are actually several medications that can be used to calm your bladder. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether or not these might be good options for you.

Common Causes Of Blood In Urine

After determining whether or not the coloring in your urine is actually blood, your doctor will likely recommend tests to determine the cause of your hematuria. Many medical conditions and other physical factors can contribute to hematuria, including:

• Bladder Cancer: As discussed, hematuria is the most common symptom of bladder cancer.

• Bladder or Kidney Stones: Bladder and kidney stones are composed of crystals that accumulate on the walls of the bladder and kidneys. Passing these stones can lead to severe pain, as well as gross and microscopic hematuria.

• Urinary Tract Infections: Usual symptoms of urinary tract infections include burning pain and a frequent urge to urinate. However, they can also cause microscopic hematuria.

• Kidney Infections: Like urinary tract infections, kidney infections can lead to hematuria, as well as other symptoms. Kidney infections can also cause fever and pain in the upper abdomen, back and sides.

• Kidney Injuries: If you’ve recently suffered an impact to one of your kidneys, either through sports or an accident, this injury could cause visible blood in your urine.

• Other Factors: Monthly periods, sexual activity, vigorous exercise and viral illness can all sometimes cause blood to appear in urine.

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Does White Blood Cells In Urine Mean Cancer

There have been cases of bladder cancer in which the urine samples of the patients showed white blood cells.

There have been cases of bladder cancer in which the urine samples of the patients showed white blood cells.

First of all, white blood cells in urine is not normal. WBCs form an integral part of the blood and so their presence is indicating that a very small amount of blood has mixed with urine. Blood coming in contact with urine is abnormal, except during menstruation. In case, menstruation is not the cause, white blood cells in urine is suggesting something else. Chances are less and in most cases, it is indicating towards some sort of infection in the urinary tract.