Pain Associated With Bladder Cancer

Is Bladder Cancer Painful

When its in its earliest stages, bladder cancer doesnt usually cause much pain. Some people have no pain whatsoever, while others may experience pain or burning when they urinate. Blood in the urine, either microscopic or visible to the naked eye, is commonly the first sign of bladder cancer.

As the cancer grows and spreads to other areas of the body or during treatment for bladder cancer, pain may become a bigger issue. You may experience pain:

• when having sex

Sometimes, the disease itself isnt the only source of pain in people with advanced bladder cancer. It can also be caused by treatment. Chemotherapy, a common treatment method for bladder cancer, can cause uncomfortable side effects, such as mouth sores.

Chemotherapy can also cause peripheral neuropathy, which may present as pain, numbness, tingling, or other sensations in the hands, arms, feet, or legs.

Surgery may be a part of treatment for bladder cancer. The pain associated with surgery depends on the operation.

Early bladder cancer can be managed with a minimally invasive surgery, during which the tumor is scraped off the bladder wall from within.

More advanced bladder cancer may require surgery to remove the entire bladder. This operation is much longer and usually has a more painful recovery.

What Causes Bladder Cancer And Am I At Risk

Each year, about 83,730 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. It affects more men than women and the average age at diagnosis is 73.

Cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. About half of all bladder cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. Other risk factors for developing bladder cancer include: family history, occupational exposure to chemicals , previous cancer treatment with cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, or pelvic radiation, the medication pioglitazone, exposure to arsenic , aristolochic , bladder infections caused by schistosoma haematobium, not drinking enough fluids, a genetic condition called Lynch Syndrome, a mutation of the retinoblastoma gene or the PTEN gene. and neurogenic bladder and the overuse of indwelling catheters.

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Cancer May Spread From Where It Began To Other Parts Of The Body

When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began and travel through the lymph system or blood.

• Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor in another part of the body.
• Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor in another part of the body.

The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if bladder cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bone are actually bladder cancer cells. The disease is metastatic bladder cancer, not bone cancer.

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Why Does Prostate Cancer Cause Hip Pelvis And Back Pain

Some men with prostate cancer dont realize the existence of the disease for many years until it gets worse and show some discomfort symptoms. The reason is due to this kind of cancer is more likely to grow very slowly, though in some cases it can grow rapidly and aggressively, too. Does it cause pain in the back, pelvis, and hip if so, when and why?

Understanding the symptoms of prostate cancer in general

As men get older, many of them experience a condition called prostate enlargement. Though it is a common condition, but the good news it is not cancerous tumor. But this enlargement can generate some similar symptoms to what happen in prostate cancer see more this issue in this section!

In general, the very early stage of prostate cancer doesnt lead to any signs and symptoms at all. Typically, the symptoms appear when the cancerous tumor has become large enough to cause pressure to the urethra .

*Picture credit to the Cancer Research UK

The pressure that hits the urethra can cause some problems in the way of how you pass the urine. Both cancerous and non-cancerous enlargement of prostate can press on the urethra, blocking the flow of urine. See in here for in-depth information about the symptoms of prostate cancer.

If the cancer does cause the symptoms, some of them may include:

When To Make An Appointment With Your Urologist

Bladder cancer may be overlooked in women because its easy to chalk up symptoms to a stubborn UTI or normal vaginal spotting. Unfortunately, this means women are often diagnosed after the cancer has spread and become harder to treat. So if youre worried, dont just write off your symptoms. Call your doctor to determine if its a minor infection or something more serious. If it is bladder cancer, its easier to treat if you catch it early.

If you would like to talk to a urologist, you can see if we have a location near you or you can contact us to ask a question or make an appointment.

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Symptoms That May Suggest Lung Cancer

Symptoms of back pain linked to lung cancer may overlap with back pain caused by other conditions. If the cancer involves the spine, it can mimic many of the symptoms of an upper back injury.

Lung cancer-related back pain may feel dull like a muscle ache, or it may seem sharp like a pinched nerve. People with cancer that has spread to the adrenal glands may sometimes say they have kidney pain on one side of their back. They also may describe a feeling like theyve just been kidney punched.

That said, back pain related to lung cancer may have certain telltale signs. Red flags that back pain may be due to lung cancer include:

• Back pain that is present at rest
• Back pain that is worst at night
• Back pain that happens without any activity
• Back pain that worsens the longer you lie in bed
• Back pain that gets worse when you take a deep breath
• Back pain that doesnt respond to physical therapy or other treatment

The back pain may come with other telltale lung cancer signs like a cough that wont go away or shortness of breath. Unintentional weight loss, chronic fatigue, or coughing up blood may further suggest lung cancer.

The typical symptoms of lung cancer are less likely to be present with lung adenocarcinoma, which often affects non-smokers. The most common symptoms with this type of cancer are fatigue and shortness of breath with exercise, which people may attribute to age or inactivity instead.

How Lung Cancer And Back Pain Are Linked

When we think about back pain, usually the last thing that comes to mind is cancer. Instead, we connect it to things like an injury, such as a muscle strain or ruptured disc. Or we may think its because of a degenerative disease, like arthritis or osteoporosis.

Back pain caused by lung cancer shares some common features with many of these disorders. Yet it also has distinct differences. These may relate to how and where the cancer causes pain, both directly and indirectly.

Some possible ways in which lung cancer can produce back pain include:

• A tumor can place direct pressure on the structure of the back, most often in the mid to upper back rather than lower back.
• A tumor can irritate the nerves that serve the lining of the lungs and chest wall. This may trigger a sharp and sometimes chronic nerve pain.
• Cancer spread from the lungs to the spine and bones happens in some 30% of people with lung cancer.
• Spread of cancer to the adrenal glands occurs in 40% of people with lung cancer, and can cause pain right above the kidney.

Healthcare providers may overlook a possible lung cancer as the cause of back pain, especially in people who have never smoked. However, at the current time, most of the people who develop lung cancer are non-smokers, either never smokers or former smokers. Lung cancer cases are rising in young women and men who have never smoked.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Adult Brain And Spinal Cord Tumors

Many different types of tumors can start in the brain or spinal cord. These tumors might cause different signs and symptoms, depending on where they are and how fast they are growing.

Signs and symptoms of brain or spinal cord tumors may develop gradually and become worse over time, or they can happen suddenly, such as with a seizure.

What Are The Stages Of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer can be either early stage or invasive .

The stages range from TA to IV . In the earliest stages , the cancer is confined to the lining of the bladder or in the connective tissue just below the lining, but has not invaded into the main muscle wall of the bladder.

Stages II to IV denote invasive cancer:

• In Stage II, cancer has spread to the muscle wall of the bladder.
• In Stage III, the cancer has spread to the fatty tissue outside the bladder muscle.
• In Stage IV, the cancer has metastasized from the bladder to the lymph nodes or to other organs or bones.

A more sophisticated and preferred staging system is known as TNM, which stands for tumor, node involvement and metastases. In this system:

• Invasive bladder tumors can range from T2 all the way to T4 .
• Lymph node involvement ranges from N0 to N3 .
• M0 means that there is no metastasis outside of the pelvis. M1 means that it has metastasized outside of the pelvis.

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There Are Three Ways That Cancer Spreads In The Body

Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood:

• Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
• Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
• Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.

Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

Once a tumor causes your prostate gland to swell, or once cancer spreads beyond your prostate, you may have symptoms including:

• The need to pee often, especially at night
• Trouble starting or stopping a stream of urine
• A weak stream or one that starts and stops
• Leaking pee when you laugh or cough
• Not being able to pee standing up
• Pain or burning when you pee
• Blood in your pee or
• Pressure or pain in your rectum
• Pain or stiffness in your lower back, hips, pelvis, or thighs
• New trouble getting an erection

These arenât symptoms of the cancer itself. They happen because the cancer growth is blocking your prostate.

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Also Check: How Do You Make Your Bladder Stronger

Living As A Bladder Cancer Survivor

For some people with bladder cancer , treatment can remove or destroy the cancer. The end of treatment can be both stressful and exciting. You may be relieved to finish treatment, but find it hard not to worry about cancer coming back. This is very common if youve had cancer.

For other people, bladder cancer might never go away completely or might come back in another part of the body. Some people may get regular treatment with chemotherapy , immunotherapy, or other treatments to try to keep the cancer in check. Learning to live with cancer that doesnt go away can be difficult and very stressful.

Life after bladder cancer means returning to some familiar things and also making some new choices.

What Is Stage 4 Bladder Cancer

Receiving a diagnosis of stage 4 bladder cancer can feel overwhelming.

Stage 4 bladder cancer is the most advanced stage, and the prognosis is less promising than in earlier stages.

Many cancer treatments can be challenging. However, treatment can reduce or even eliminate your symptoms and help you live a longer, more comfortable life.

Its important to consider the pros and cons of treating stage 4 bladder cancer because treatments have side effects and risks.

Symptoms of bladder cancer can include:

• blood or blood clots in your urine
• pain or burning during urination
• frequent urination
• needing to urinate at night
• needing to urinate but not being able to
• lower back pain on one side of the body

These symptoms commonly lead to a diagnosis, but they arent unique to stage 4 bladder cancer.

Stage 4 bladder cancer is also called metastatic bladder cancer. This means the cancer has spread outside the bladder into other areas.

People with metastatic cancer may experience symptoms relating to where the cancer has spread. For example, if bladder cancer has spread to the lungs, they may experience chest pain or increased coughing.

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Tests Used To Check The Prostate

This first step lets your doctor hear and understand the âstoryâ of your prostate concerns. Youâll be asked whether you have symptoms, how long youâve had them, and how much they affect your lifestyle. Your personal medical history also includes any risk factors, pain, fever, or trouble passing urine. You may be asked to give a urine sample for testing.

How Common Are Bladder Infections

Bladder infections are very common, especially in women. Approximately 60% of women will experience a bladder infection during their lifetime. And these infections may recur: Between 20% and 40% of women who have a bladder infection will experience at least another in their lifetime. Men are less likely to get bladder infections because of differences in their anatomy.

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Can Bladder Cancer Cause Bone Pain

The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine that is visible, which is experienced by around 80% to 90% of patients diagnosed. Around 20% to 30% of patients experience other symptoms related to urination, including

• Pain or burning before, during, or after urination
• Urgently needing to urinate despite a bladder that is not full
• Not being able to urinate, even if your bladder is full

Let your healthcare provider know if you are experiencing bone pain. While bladder cancer is not a very common reason, it is important to diagnose and treat the cause. It is especially important to tell your healthcare provider if you experience bone pain and you have noticed blood in your urine or have any other types of urinary symptoms.

What Is The First Sign Of Bladder Cancer

Blood in the urine, referred to as hematuria, is usually the first sign of bladder cancer. This is because early bladder cancer commonly causes bleeding without associated pain or other symptoms.

• Depending on the amount of blood present, urine may appear pink, red, or brownish in color.
• Blood may not be present all the time there may be relatively long periods of clear urine .

If you have noticed blood in your urine it is important to speak to your doctor as soon as possible.

Other early symptoms of bladder cancer that may be experienced are urinary irritation or changes in bladder habits, such as increased urination frequency and/or urgency, pain or a burning sensation during urination, or difficulty passing urine.

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What Causes Rectal Prolapse

• Anything that increases the pressure inside your tummy can make you more likely to develop a rectal prolapse. This can include:
• Straining to pass urine due to a swollen prostate gland.

• Damage to the back passage or pelvis from previous surgery.
• Damage to the muscle on the floor of the pelvis.
• Infections of the bowel with certain types of microbes called parasites .
• Diseases of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis.
• Damage to the nerves from back surgery, a slipped disc, or an accident injuring the pelvic nerves.
• Mental health conditions associated with constipation, such as:
• A side-effect of medicines used to treat psychiatric disorders.

In children, rectal prolapse can occur in:

• Hirschsprungs disease .

Prolapse of the bladder or womb doesnt cause rectal prolapse but is sometimes associated with it.

Treatment Of Stages Ii And Iii Bladder Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

• Transurethral resection with fulguration.
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.

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Signs & Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer

As with most cancers, signs and symptoms of bladder cancer dont manifest themselves until the cancer has spread to a more advanced stage. While some people with bladder cancer may experience the following signs and symptoms, other people with bladder cancer experience no changes at all. Keep in mind that these symptoms can be caused by a medical condition other than cancer. Still, it is important that they are not ignored. If you experience any of the following signs and symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

How Might Pain Affect People With Cancer

Any type of pain, not just cancer pain, can affect all parts of a person’s life. Some days it may be better or worse than others.

If you have pain, you might not be able to do your job well or take part in other day-to-day activities. You may have trouble sleeping and eating. You might be irritable with the people you love. Its easy to get frustrated, sad, and even angry when youre in pain. Family and friends dont always understand how youre feeling, and you may feel very alone. This is not unusual, so it’s important to talk about your pain with your health care team so they can help.

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