Bladder cancer is one of the 10 most common cancers in Australia. (1)
Incidence and mortality
More than 2217 new cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed in Australia in 2007. It is much more common in men - the risk of bladder cancer by age 85 is 1 in 44 for men, compared to 1 in 154 for women.
In 2007, there were 925 deaths from bladder cancer.
Screening
No screening test is routinely used for bladder cancer.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine (haematuria), which usually occurs suddenly and is generally not painful.
Other less common symptoms include:
- problems emptying the bladder
- a burning feeling when passing urine
- need to pass urine often.
Tests used to diagnose bladder cancer include:
- urine test
- blood test
- intravenous pyelogram
- liver and abdominal ultrasound scan
- cytoscopy and biopsy.
Staging
A CT scan, bone (radioisotope) scan and chest x-ray are done to determine the extent of the cancer (its stage).
The most common staging system used for bladder cancer is the TNM system , which describes the stage of the cancer from stage I to stage IV.
Causes
The exact causes of bladder cancer are not known, however factors that put some people at higher risk are:
- smoking cigarettes
- workplace exposure to certain chemicals used in dyeing in the textile, petrochemical and rubber industries
- use of the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide (which can increase the long-term risk of bladder cancer).
Chronic inflammation of the bladder has been linked to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder.
Prevention
Not smoking or quitting smoking, and avoiding exposure to chemicals listed above.
Treatment
Superficial bladder cancers are treated with surgery (transurethral resection) and/or immunotherapy, or sometimes chemotherapy instilled into the bladder.
Invasive bladder cancers are most commonly treated with surgery, although radiotherapy is an alternative treatment. In some cases chemotherapy may be added.
If surgery is not an option, the cancer may be treated with radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, or chemotherapy alone (platinum and gemcitabine).
Prognosis
An individual’s prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis.
Bladder cancer can be effectively treated if it is found early, before it spreads outside the bladder. The five year survival rate for Australians with bladder cancer is 60%.
For more information, contact Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 (cost of a local call).
(1) Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, which is the most commonly diagnosed cancer according to general practice and hospitals data, however there is no reporting of cases to cancer registries.