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Where does bladder cancer first spread to?
When bladder cancer spreads, it first invades the bladder wall, which is made up of four distinct layers. It can take some time for cancer to penetrate all of these layers, but once it has, it can then spread into the surrounding fatty tissues and lymph nodes.
How do you know if bladder cancer has spread?
Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to make pictures of the organs inside your body, like your bladder and kidneys. It can help show the size of a bladder cancer and if it has spread. Bone scan: A bone scan can help show if bladder cancer has spread to the bones. This test is not done unless you have bone pain.
What are the chances of bladder cancer spreading?
Extent of cancer at the time of diagnosis About 1 in 3 bladder cancers have spread into deeper layers but are still only in the bladder. In most of the remaining cases, the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes outside the bladder. Rarely (in about 4% of cases), it has spread to distant parts of the body.
Does bladder cancer usually spread?
Bladder cancer often spreads locally or to lymph nodes before spreading distantly, though this is not always the case. The lungs and bones are the most common areas for metastases to develop. When bladder cancer spreads to another area, it is still bladder cancer.
How quickly does bladder cancer metastasize?
As many as 50% of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer may have occult metastases that become clinically apparent within 5 years of initial diagnosis and around 5% will have distant metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis. Most patients with overt metastatic disease die within 2 years despite chemotherapy.
Is bladder cancer fast or slow growing?
low grade – the cancer cells are usually slow-growing. Most bladder tumours are low grade. high grade – the cancer cells look very abnormal and grow quickly. They are more likely to spread.
What is the life expectancy of someone with bladder cancer?
5-year relative survival rates for bladder cancerSEER Stage5-year Relative Survival RateIn situ alone Localized96% 70%Regional38%Distant6%All SEER stages combined77%Mar 1, 2022
Is bladder cancer aggressive?
It has not grown in toward the hollow part of the bladder, and it has not spread to the thick layer of muscle or connective tissue of the bladder (Tis, N0, M0). This is always a high-grade cancer (see “Grades,” below) and is considered an aggressive disease because it can lead to muscle-invasive disease.
Is a 5 cm bladder tumor large?
CONCLUSIONS: Larger tumor size (>5 cm) is associated with greater length of stay, reoperation, readmission, and death following TURBT. Patients should be counseled appropriately and likely warrant vigilant observation prior to and following hospital discharge.
How serious is cancer of the bladder?
The general 5-year survival rate for people with bladder cancer is 77%. However, survival rates depend on many factors, including the type and stage of bladder cancer that is diagnosed. The 5-year survival rate of people with bladder cancer that has not spread beyond the inner layer of the bladder wall is 96%.
How long can you live with metastatic bladder cancer?
Patients who present with metastatic bladder cancer generally have a poor prognosis, surviving only very few months (1). However, some patients may live considerably longer. If a patient is able to withstand palliative chemotherapy, their remaining lifetime may be extended with systemic treatments.
Can bladder cancer come back after bladder is removed?
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.
How Does The Doctor Know I Have Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer might cause symptoms such as: 1. Having trouble peeing 2. Feeling pain when peeing 3. Needing to go more often than normal 4. Seeing…
Tests to Look For Bladder Cancer
Your doctor may do other tests to find out more about the cancer. Some of them are:X-ray: Dye is put into a vein for a special x-ray of the kidneys…
How Serious Is My Cancer?
If you have bladder cancer, the doctor will want to find out how far it has spread. This is called staging. Your doctor will want to find out the s…
What Kind of Treatment Will I Need?
There’s more than one way to treat bladder cancer. You might want to get a second opinion about the best treatment plan for you. Doctors may have d…
What Will Happen After Treatment?
You will be glad when treatment is over. But it’s hard not to worry about cancer coming back. Even when cancer never comes back, people still worry…
What is it called when cancer grows in the bladder?
If the cancer grows into the outer layers of the bladder, it’s called invasive. Invasive cancers are more likely to spread and can be harder to treat.
How to remove bladder cancer?
This can be done during a cystoscopy. A a cystoscope with a looped wire on the end is used to remove the tumor. When the cancer is more invasive, the cancer is removed along with part of the bladder or the entire bladder.
Where does cancer start?
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.
What is it called when cancer cells 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, it’s called metastasis . Cancer is always named for the place where it starts.
What is it called when cancer spreads to the bone?
For instance, cancer cells in the bladder can travel to the bone and grow there. When cancer cells spread, it’s called metastasis . Cancer is always named for the place where it starts. So when bladder cancer spreads to the bone (or any other place), it’s still called bladder cancer.
What is the tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder?
Tubes called ureters connect your kidneys to the bladder. Urine flows through the ureters and into your bladder, where it’s stored. When you urinate (pee), the bladder squeezes the urine out through a tube called the urethra. Bladder cancer usually starts in the lining or inner layer of the bladder wall.
What tests are done to check for bladder cancer?
This might include a rectal exam, during which a gloved finger is put into your rectum. If you are a woman, a pelvic exam might also be done.
How does bladder cancer spread?
It can also spread through the lymph system, by traveling through lymph vessels to lymph nodes in different parts of the body. It can also spread through the body’s blood vessels and form tumors in other parts of the body, …
What is it called when bladder cancer spreads?
1,2 Bladder cancer that has spread ( metastasized) is called metastatic bladder cancer.
What tests determine if bladder cancer has spread?
What Tests Determine Cancer Spread? When a patient is diagnosed with bladder cancer, healthcare providers may carry out further tests to find out if the bladder cancer cells have spread to other organs or parts of the body. 1,2 Bladder cancer that has spread ( metastasized) is called metastatic bladder cancer. …
How does a tumor spread through the lymph system?
It can also spread through the lymph system, by traveling through lymph vessels to lymph nodes in different parts of the body. It can also spread through the body’s blood vessels and form tumors in other parts of the body, such as the bones or lungs.
Can a retrograde pyelogram detect bladder cancer?
For example, intravenous or retrograde pyelograms are types of x-rays that use a special dye to highlight the organs of the urinary tract. This can make it possible to detect cancer that has spread to the kidneys, ureters, or other parts of the urinary tract. If healthcare providers suspect that the bladder cancer may have spread to …
Can a chest x-ray detect bladder cancer?
If healthcare providers suspect that the bladder cancer may have spread to the patient’s lungs, then a chest x-ray may be used.
What is a CT scan for bladder cancer?
To check if bladder cancer has spread, CT scans may be used to create images of the entire urinary tract (including the kidneys) as well as lymph nodes, other organs in the abdomen, and the lungs.
How does bladder cancer affect survival?
The factors influencing survival include: 1 Age: Increasing age has been linked to a lower survival rate in people with bladder cancer. 7 2 Sex: A literature review of 27 studies and 23,754 patients found that women had a greater risk for disease recurrence following localized treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. 8 3 Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of recurrence and mortality in people with bladder cancer. 9 4 Recurrence: Recurrence of bladder cancer forebodes a poor prognosis, with a median survival of six months after recurrence. Although people with local recurrence have a slightly better prognosis, those with disease recurrence at local and distant sites perform very poorly.
What type of cancer is in the bladder?
The two most common types of cancer affecting the bladder are: Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC): Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder starts in the bladder. In a study of 33,761 patients in Norway, transitional cell carcinoma accounted for 95% of bladder cancer cases. 2.
How long does bladder cancer last?
While bladder cancer is relatively common, the average five-year survival rate is quite high at 76.9%. This rate has improved over the past several years, and a person’s chance of survival is influenced by many factors.
What is the bladder made of?
The bladder is flexible, being made of smooth muscle. It works to collect and then eliminate urine from your body. The bladder’s flexible walls are made perfectly to expand and contract as necessary to hold urine until it is expelled from the body. FatCamera / Getty Images.
What is the difference between regional and distant cancer?
Regional means the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs and tissues, while distant refers to cancer that has metastasized to distant organs or lymph nodes. The earlier the cancer is found, the higher the chances of survival.
What is the survival rate for bladder cancer?
For bladder cancer, the five-year relative survival rate when the cancer is at the localized stage is 69.2%. 1. Five-Year Survival Rates by Stage for Bladder Cancer. Stage.
What is the prognosis of bladder cancer?
Prognosis describes how severe a person’s cancer is and their chances of survival. It is influenced by factors that are not reflected in the SEER survival statistics. Chief among them are the type, stage, and grade of bladder cancer. Other factors also contribute.
Can bladder cancer spread?
It depends: There are different types of bladder cancer. Some behave very aggressively while others do not. Generally, high grade (a microscopic feature) cancers are associated with high risk of larger tumors (high stage) which may spread and even be fatal. Low grade tumors typically do not spread outside of the bladder, though both kinds can often recur.
Can a low grade tumor spread outside the bladder?
Low grade tumors typically do not spread outside of the bladder, though both kinds can often recur. Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers — it’s anonymous and free! Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours.
How long does it take for a tumor to recur?
Depends: It depends on the type of cancer and stage at the time sof diagnosis. If it is a non-aggressive form, it may take months or sometimes years to recur. If the tumor is very aggressive or advanced at the time of diagnosis, it is much more likely to recur quickly.
What is the first treatment for bladder cancer?
Chemo (with or without radiation) is typically the first treatment when bladder cancer has spread to distant parts of the body (M1). After this treatment the cancer is rechecked. If it looks like it’s gone, a boost of radiation to the bladder may be given or cystectomy might be done.
Can bladder cancer be cured?
The outlook for people with stage 0a (non-invasive papillary) bladder cancer is very good. These cancers can be cured with treatment. During long-term follow-up care, more superficial cancers are often found in the bladder or in other parts of the urinary system.
What are the factors that affect cancer treatment?
Other factors, such as the size of the tumor, how fast the cancer cells are growing (grade), and a person’s overall health and preferences, also affect treatment options.
What is stage 0 bladder cancer?
Stage 0 bladder cancer includes non-invasive papillary carcinoma (Ta) and flat non-invasive carcinoma (Tis or carcinoma in situ). In either case, the cancer is only in the inner lining layer of the bladder. It has not invaded (spread deeper into) the bladder wall.
Can you get a partial cystectomy for bladder cancer?
Lymph nodes near the bladder are often removed as well. If cancer is in only one part of the bladder, a partial cystectomy may be done instead. But this is possible in only a small number of patients . Radical cystectomy may be the only treatment for people who are not well enough to get chemo.
Is stage IV bladder cancer hard to treat?
These cancers have reached the pelvic or abdominal wall (T4b), may have spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N), and/or have spread to distant parts of the body (M1). Stage IV cancers are very hard to get rid of completely.
Can stage IV cancer spread to lymph nodes?
These cancers have reached the pelvic or abdominal wall (T4b), may have spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N), and/or have spread to distant parts of the body (M1). Stage IV cancers are very hard to get rid of completely.
How long do people with bladder cancer live?
Overall, 70 to 90 percent of people with localized bladder cancer will live for at least five years or more . The physician calculates this with the help of survival rates. Survival rates indicate the percentage of people who live with a certain type of cancer for a specific time. The physician often uses an overall five-year survival rate.
Is bladder cancer treatable?
Thus, bladder cancer, if detected in the early stage is treatable and has higher survival rates. However, if the cancer is detected in the advanced stages, treatment becomes difficult and the survival rate is low.
What is SEER in cancer?
The surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) stages are taken from the SEER database, maintained by the National Cancer Institute. SEER database groups cancers into localized, regional, and distant stages.
What is the difference between high grade and low grade bladder cancer?
Low-grade cancers: Less aggressive cancers have a low chance of becoming high grade and do not require aggressive treatments, such as radiation or bladder removal.
Can a doctor remove a bladder tumor?
The physician may either remove the tumor or burn them down. Next, the physician places medications inside the bladder to prevent the recurrence of cancer. High-grade superficial tumors that tend to return once or twice after treatment are severe and require surgery to remove the bladder.
What is the procedure to remove bladder cancer?
Tumors in the bladder muscle: In case of bladder cancer that has invaded the muscle wall but hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes, the physician recommends radical cystectomy. In this procedure, the physician removes the bladder, nearby lymph nodes and other nearby organs.
What is the first line of treatment for metastatic bladder cancer?
Then, the physician may perform a radical cystectomy to remove cancer that has invaded beyond the bladder wall. Metastatic bladder cancer: Platinum-based chemotherapy is the first line of treatment for this type of bladder cancer.
How many cases of bladder cancer are there in 2019?
Is Bladder Cancer Curable? Every year, there are around 81,400 new cases of bladder cancer, of which nearly 18,000 are fatal. In 2019, around 4.6% of all new cancer cases were bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men, and ninth overall.
Can bladder cancer return?
Even early-stage bladder cancers have a likelihood of returning, so after treatment, you’ll want to continue to see your doctor for follow-up appointments to monitor for recurrence. The types of tests and the frequency of testing depend on the type of cancer and your treatment.
Is bladder cancer a treatable disease?
Bladder cancer is usually treatable when caught at an early stage but more challenging to address when found later. Recurrence also poses a risk, even with early-stage tumors, so regular surveillance is essential following treatment or surgery.
How can bladder cancer be classified?
Bladder cancer tumors can be classified further based on the way cancer cells look when viewed through a microscope, given this then dictates how they behave. The appearance of the cells contributes to “tumor grade” classification.
Is bladder cancer high grade or low grade?
Bladder cancer can be either high grade or low grade, though a three grade numbering system is often used to provide more detail. High-grade bladder tumor: A type of tumor with abnormal-looking cells and tissue.
What is a low grade bladder tumor?
Low-grade bladder tumor: A type of tumor with cells closer in organization and appearance to healthy cells. They typically grow more gradually and are less likely to invade the bladder’s muscular wall than high-grade tumors.
How long does bladder cancer last?
A particular stage of bladder cancer, for example, may have a 90% five-year relative survival rate. The 90% figure comes from dividing the percentage of people with cancer who are alive after five years by the percentage of people without the disease who are also alive after five years.