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How Long Does It Take For Bladder Cancer To Spread

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What Are The Signs Of Bladder Cancer

Diagnosing Bladder Cancer 1 – Signs, Symptoms & Tests

The most common sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, called hematuria. Gross hematuria is blood that can be seen in the urine. Your urine can be pink, red, or dark red. In some cases, urine can only be seen with a microscope, called microscopic hematuria. Other signs of bladder cancer include increased frequency of urination, a feeling of urgency to urinate, nocturia , pain with urination, and feeling like your bladder is not empty. These can all be caused by irritation of the bladder wall by the tumor, but can also be signs of infection or other bladder problems.

In advanced cases of bladder cancer, the tumor can stop urine from entering the bladder, or from exiting the bladder. This may cause severe flank pain, infection, and damage to the kidneys. Other signs of advanced bladder cancer are loss of appetite, weight loss, feeling tired, bone pain, and swelling in the feet.

What Screening Tests Are Used For Bladder Cancer

It is not standard to screen for bladder cancer. Bladder cancer screening may be used in people who are considered high risk. If you have a history of bladder cancer, a history of a birth defect of the bladder, or have been exposed to certain chemicals at work, you may be considered high-risk. You should ask your provider if screening tests are right for you.

Testing the urine for blood, abnormal cells, and tumor markers can help find some bladder cancers early but the results vary. Not all bladder cancers are found, and some people may have changes in their urine but do not have bladder cancer. These tests can be used in those who already have signs of bladder cancer or if the cancer has returned. However, more research is needed to determine how useful testing the urine is as a screening test.

Stage I Bladder Cancer

Stage I bladder cancers are cancerous tumors that have spread from the inner layer of the bladder into the connective tissue layer just under it.

These tumors havent yet reached the muscular layers of the bladder, so theyre often called non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Some cases of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer progress to muscle-invasive bladder cancer, which is more serious.

According to SEER, a third of bladder cancers are diagnosed when theyre local, when they havent spread beyond the organ they developed in, stage I and II.

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Transitional Cell Bladder Cancer

About 9 out of 10 bladder cancers in Ireland are the transitional cell type. This is sometimes called urothelial cancer.

Transitional cell bladder cancer develops from the cells of the bladder lining. These are called transitional cells.

When the bladder is empty, these cells are all bunched together. When the bladder is full, they are stretched out into a single layer. These cells come into contact with waste products in the urine that may cause cancer, such as chemicals from cigarette smoke.

Transitional cell bladder cancers can behave in different ways. There are early cancers that have not invaded the deeper layers of the bladder and there are invasive cancers that have. They are treated differently, so it is important to know which kind you have.

Sex After Bladder Cancer Treatment

Symptom of prostate cancer

Surgery can damage sensitive nerves, making sex more difficult. Some men may have trouble having an erection, though for younger patients, this often improves over time. When the prostate gland and seminal vesicles are removed, semen can no longer be made. Women may also have trouble with orgasm, and may find sex less comfortable. Be sure to discuss treatment options with your doctor.

Read Also: Can A Bladder Ultrasound Detect Cancer

New And Experimental Treatments

Several new treatments may prove useful in treating bladder cancer. Photodynamic therapy, used in early stage cancers, uses a laser light to activate a chemical that kills cancer cells. Some gene therapies use lab-created viruses to fight cancer. And targeted therapies aim to control the growth of cancer cells. You may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial of these or other cutting-edge treatments.

21) Carol & Mike Werner / Visuals Unlimited / Corbis

American Urological Association: “Bladder Cancer.”

American Urological Association Foundation: “Hematuria.”

Journal of the American Medical Association: Association Between Smoking and Risk of Bladder Cancer Among Men and Women.

Occupational & Environmental Medicine: Bladder cancer among hairdressers: a meta-analysis.

British Journal of Cancer: Occupation and bladder cancer: a cohort study in Sweden.

National Cancer Institute: “Staging,” “Bladder Cancer Treatment,” “Drugs Approved for Bladder Cancer,” “SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Bladder.”

NIH Research Matters: “Smoking and Bladder Cancer.”

ScienceDaily: “Cigarette Smoking Implicated in Half of Bladder Cancers in Women Bladder Cancer Risk from Smoking Is Higher Than Previously Estimated, Study Confirms.”

Stanford Cancer Institute: “Information About Bladder Cancer.”

World Health Organization: “Tobacco Free Initiative — Cancer.”

What Will Happen After Treatment

You’ll be glad when treatment is over. But its hard not to worry about cancer coming back. Even when cancer never comes back, people still worry about this. For years after treatment ends, you will see your cancer doctor. Be sure to go to all of your follow-up visits. People who have had bladder cancer are at high risk of having a second bladder cancer.

If you have no signs of cancer, most experts advise seeing with your doctor every 3 to 6 months. These visits might include urine tests, blood work, and other tests. If you still have your bladder, you will need regular exams of your bladder, too. The time between doctor visits may be longer after a few years if no new cancers are seen.

Having cancer and dealing with treatment can be hard, but it can also be a time to look at your life in new ways. You might be thinking about how to improve your health. Call us or talk to your doctor to find out what you can do to feel better.

You cant change the fact that you have cancer. What you can change is how you live the rest of your life making healthy choices and feeling as well as you can.

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How Long Does A Uti Last Without Antibiotics

As mentioned, in regards to how long a UTI lasts without antibiotics, the answer will depend on whether the infection is relatively minor or not. Uncomplicated UTIs can go away in about a week. Its possible to try some home remedies to get relief during the recovery, but make sure to seek medical assistance if the signs of your UTI is going away fail to show. After all, you dont want a lower tract UTI to turn into an upper tract one.

Some of the most popular home remedies involve drinking plenty of liquids and not just water. Cranberry juice and uva ursi tea have been reported to help with UTI symptoms relief. Upping the intake of vitamin C and probiotics may also be helpful to fight off the infection. Some people swear by certain essential oils when it comes to UTI home remedies, such as oregano oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, and eucalyptus oil. However, using these oils also carries certain health risks, which is why its crucial to follow the exact instructions when using them. Also, its recommended to discuss the use of essential oils with your doctor just to be on the safe side.

However, in many cases, you shouldnt count that a UTI will go away on its own. Leaving a serious infection untreated can end up causing a kidney infection. This is a very dangerous condition that could even lead to organ failure or kidney scarring, which is why it requires immediate medical intervention.

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How Will I Know If I Have A Kidney Infection

Bladder Tumor Removal with TURBT – Urology Care Foundation

To find out if you have a kidney infection, doctors may do tests such as:

  • Urine tests to look for bacteria or other signs of infection, such as white blood cells, in your urine
  • Blood tests
  • Imaging tests to look at your kidneys, such as an X-ray, ultrasound or CT scan
  • Rectal exam for men, where the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the anus to see if the prostate gland is enlarged and blocks the flow of urine

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What Is Bladder Cancer

Cancer can start any place in the body. Cancer that starts in the bladder is called bladder cancer. It starts when cells in the bladder grow out of control and crowd out normal cells. This makes it hard for the body to work the way it should.

Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body. For instance, cancer cells in the bladder can travel to the bone and grow there. When cancer cells spread, its called metastasis.

Cancer is always named for the place where it starts. So when bladder cancer spreads to the bone , it’s still called bladder cancer. Its not called bone cancer unless it starts in the bone.

How Is Recurrence Tested

After your treatment for bladder cancer has ended, your healthcare providers will monitor you regularly during check-ups for signs and symptoms that your cancer may have recurred.1,2 This might involve tests such as physical examinations, urine tests, blood tests, and/or imaging tests.

Active surveillance is a type of follow-up that involves monitoring a patients condition with specialized tests for signs that the patients condition is getting worse. Usually, treatment is not needed unless the results of the test show that the condition has changed.

It is very important to continue visiting your healthcare provider regularly as scheduled for check-ups, especially if you are receiving active surveillance. Treatment for bladder cancer recurrence tends to be more effective when the recurrence is detected as early as possible.

Also Check: What Happens When You Remove Your Bladder

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What Stages Have To Do With Cancer Spread

Cancers are staged according to tumor size and how far it has spread at the time of diagnosis. Stages help doctors decide which treatments are most likely to work and give a general outlook.

There are different types of staging systems and some are specific to certain types of cancer. The following are the basic stages of cancer:

  • In situ. Precancerous cells have been found, but they havent spread to surrounding tissue.
  • Localized. Cancerous cells havent spread beyond where they started.
  • Regional. Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues, or organs.
  • Distant. Cancer has reached distant organs or tissues.
  • Unknown. Theres not enough information to determine the stage.
  • Stage 0 or CIS. Abnormal cells have been found but have not spread into surrounding tissue. This is also called precancer.
  • Stages 1, 2, and 3. The diagnosis of cancer is confirmed. The numbers represent how large the primary tumor has grown and how far the cancer has spread.
  • Stage 4. Cancer has metastasized to distant parts of the body.

Your pathology report may use the TNM staging system, which provides more detailed information as follows:

T: Size of primary tumor

  • TX: primary tumor cant be measured
  • T0: primary tumor cant be located
  • T1, T2, T3, T4: describes the size of the primary tumor and how far it may have grown into surrounding tissue

N: Number of regional lymph nodes affected by cancer

M: Whether cancer has metastasized or not

Cancer Stages For Superficial Bladder Cancer

File:Diagram showing prostate cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes ...

Ta: The most common superficial bladder cancer is stage Ta. This tumor looks like a cauliflower in the bladder, and it does not grow into any of the layers of the bladder. Further treatments for single Ta tumors are usually not needed. Patients do need to come back for regular cystoscopy to make sure the tumor does not come back. In patients with tumors that come back, or patients with many of these tumors at the initial surgery, medicine can be given inside the bladder to prevent cancer from coming back. Stage Ta cancers do come back with some regularity, but they rarely change into cancers that can grow into the bladder wall or go to other parts of the body.

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Bladder Cancer Spread To Lungs And Bones

My sons partner’s mum was diagnosed 2 months ago with bladder cancer. They put tubes in her kidneys to give her bladder a rest and she had TURBT. A month later she found out it had spread to her lymph nodes and then a couple of weeks ago found out it had gone to her lungs and bones.

She has had no chemo yet as they are saying she cannot have chemo until the tubes are out and she cant have the tubes out until she is feeling a bit better. The trouble is she is only 50 but has MS. Most days she doesnt feel well and she has currently been given a morphine patch and 10mls of morphine every four hours.

My son and his partner are worried about her as she also lives alone. They are trying to do as much as they can but she is not keen on going into the hospice for pain management as she is scared she wont come out again.

I am having the children as much as I can but am not sure what else I can do to support them. Also noone has told them a possible prognosis or how long she may have left to live.

Any advice anyone?

Welcome to Cancer Chat Stephie although I’m sorry for the reason you’re joining us.

If your son and his partner are able to get her mum’s permission they will be able to speak to her medical team directly which will allow them to find out about a possible prognosis or how long she may have left to live.

Wishing you all the best at this difficult time.

Kind regards,

Thanks for the reply.

How Do I Know If I Have Bladder Cancer

Many people with bladder cancer do not exhibit symptoms. A bladder cancer diagnosis is often made when red blood cells are detected in a urine test . Urologists are generally the doctors who diagnose and treat bladder cancer. Their specialty is the urinary tract, which includes the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra.

Common Symptoms of Bladder Cancer

Blood in the urine

In many cases, blood in the urine is an early sign of bladder cancer. The blood may change the color of the urine to pink, orange, or dark red. The color of the urine could even be normal, and small amounts of blood may be discovered during the urine test . Blood may be there one day and gone the next. The urine could remain clear for months. However, if the patient has bladder cancer, the blood will eventually reappear.

The early stages of bladder cancer often cause bleeding but with very little pain or discomfort. Its important to note that blood in the urine does not always indicate that you have bladder cancer. More often than not, its caused by benign tumors, an infection, bladder stones, or another non-cancerous ailment. Its still critical to be seen by a doctor if you have blood in the urine.

Bladder habit changes

While bladder symptoms are more often the result of conditions unrelated to cancer, bladder cancer may cause changes to bladder habits, including:

Needing to urinate with little or no results Having to urinate more than usual Painful urination

Read Also: Can Kidney Stones Cause Bladder Cancer

How Long Will The Effects Last

For most UTIs, the symptoms go away within 24 hours after you begin treatment. Take all of the medicine your healthcare provider prescribes, even after the symptoms go away. If you stop taking your medicine before the scheduled end of treatment, the infection may come back.

Without treatment, the infection can last a long time. If it is not treated, the infection can permanently damage the bladder and kidneys, or it may spread to the blood. If the infection spreads to the blood, it can be fatal.

Read Also: Fastest Way To Cure Bladder Infection

Living With Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer: The Basics | Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute

Cancer is a life-changing experience. And although there’s no surefire way of preventing a recurrence, you can take steps to feel and stay healthy. Eating plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and keeping to modest portions of lean meat is a great start. If you smoke, stop. Limit alcohol to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. Daily exercise and regular checkups will also support your health and give you peace of mind.

Read Also: How To Make My Bladder Stronger

Can A Uti Go Away On Its Own

The urinary system is designed to flush itself out. When it fails to do so, you develop an infection.

Infections arent like a swollen knee. If you dont do something to kill the bacteria causing the problem, it can spread through your body.

How can you increase your odds of recovering without going to a doctor? Drink a lot of fluids to flush out your system and take something for the pain.

Cranberry products are not a magical cure. Youre better off sticking to water.

If you develop these symptoms, visit a doctor as soon as possible:

  • Vomiting

4.3/5about it here

A UTI can cause confusion and other symptoms of dementia in older adults. Taking preventive steps and looking out for UTI symptoms should help prevent infection. Without treatment, a UTI can spread to the kidneys and the bloodstream. This may lead to a life-threatening blood infection.

Subsequently, question is, can a UTI cause permanent dementia? Urinary tract infections can exacerbate dementia symptoms, but a UTI does not necessarily signal dementia or Alzheimerâs. As the Alzheimerâs Society explains, UTIs can cause distressing behavior changes for a person with Alzheimerâs. These changes, referred to as delirium, can develop in as little as one to two days.

In this regard, how do I know if my UTI is clearing up?

Why does UTI affect the brain?

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