Dangerous Bladder Cancers

The Amercian Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, over 74,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2015. Out of these 74,000, men make up over 2/3rds of those diagnosed. Bladder cancer is not uncommon and being proactive is the best way to catch the symptoms early.

So how does the Bladder work?

The bladder is a hollow organ that receives urine from the kidneys. After the kidneys filter the blood, they then  transport the urine to the bladder, where it is held until it is ready to be expelled out of the body by a tube called the urethra.

Bladder cancer begins in the cells that reside in the lining of the bladder. They’re multiple types of bladder cancer cells that can become malignant (cancerous). 

Transitional Cell Carcinoma

 The most prevalent type of bladder cancer can also be quite dangerous.  This cancer occurs in the innermost tissue layer of the bladder. These cells are able to fluctuate when the bladder is either empty or full. The two types of transitional cell carcinoma can either be low grade or high grade.

If you have low grade transitional cell carcinoma, the cancer may recur,  but the good news is it rarely spreads to the other muscle layers of the bladder and to different areas of the body.

High grade transitional cell carcinoma is extremely invasive compared to low grade.  It can spread into all muscle layers and eventually make its way into the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. The majority of deaths are caused by this high grade disease.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma. 

This type of bladder cancer can form after prolonged infection or inflammation. It is uncommon in developed countries like the United States. 

Adencarcinoma

The rarest of all bladder cancers. This type of cancer is found in the secretory cells within the lining of the bladder. It can also be found in mucus-secreting glands throughout the body ex (prostate and lungs)

A daily checkup to your urologist  is always a great idea even if you think you’re not at risk. Talk to your Houston Metro Urology Physician today to find out how you can become proactive against bladder cancer.