Bladder cancer is cancer that initially forms on the lining of the bladder. The most common warning sign of bladder cancer is having blood in the urine, which occurs in eighty to ninety percent of people with this type of cancer.AUA: Bladder Cancer

The National Cancer Institute SEER Cancer Statistics Review estimates diagnosis of 70,530 individuals and the death of 14,680 from urinary bladder cancer in 2010. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the United States.MedlinePlus: Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer has a higher incidence in whites than African Americans, but the mortality rates are similar among the two ethnicities. During the study time frame of 2003 to 2007, the incident rate among white men was 40% with African American males reflecting a 20.7% incident rate. ACS: What Are the Key Statistics for Bladder Cancer? http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html

Some additional factors that increase a person's risk for developing bladder cancer are being male, smoking, exposure to certain chemicals and a previous family history of bladder cancer.AUA: Bladder Cancer

Blood in urine is the most common sympton of bladder cancer. Change in frequency or ability to urinate or feeling the need to go but not being able to do so can be a symptom of bladder cancer but also is associated with other causes. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BladderCancer/OverviewGuide/bladder-cancer-overview-diagnosed

Testing to determine possible bladder cancer may include:

• Cystoscopy: A thin tube with a lens and a light is inserted in the bladder to view the inside. A small piece may be taken for sampling the cells also.
• Urine cytology: Often done with the cystoscopy, in this test urine or cells washed from the bladder to be tested.
• Urine cultures: a sample of urine is tested to rule out infection as the cause of the symptoms.
• Biopsy: A piece of tissue may be removed during the cystoscopy to see if it contains cancer cells. The biopsy can tell if cancer is present, the type of cancer and the depth it has already taken in the bladder wall.http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BladderCancer/OverviewGuide/bladder-cancer-overview-diagnosed

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have bladder cancer, please consult your doctor.