can you have bladder cancer without blood in urine

Contents

image

How do you detect bladder cancer?

 · “Although patients with bladder cancer are more likely to have blood in their urine, the findings show that this is not often the case,” James Montie, MD, Chair of Urology at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, commented in a phone interview. “We need to be concerned about patients with irritative bladder symptoms.

What are the warning signs of bladder cancer?

Dr. Michel explains, “While bladder cancer is a common cause of blood in the urine of otherwise healthy patients, it may not be detectable in every urinalysis and depends largely on the stage of cancer, the type of cancer and especially how much cancer has affected the structure of the bladder. “Hematuria (blood in the urine) caused by bladder cancer stems from the …

How can urine tests detect bladder cancer?

When bladder cancer is caught early, the prognosis is excellent. Do NOT delay seeing a urologist if you fear that you might have bladder cancer. Blood in the urine does not mean that the cancer is advanced (spread beyond the bladder). It may still be in a highly curable stage. Even if you don’t have other symptoms (painful urination, groin pain, weak urine stream, increased urgency and …

What is the treatment for bladder cancer?

 · By far, the most common warning sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine (hematuria). This can be visible as a person is urinating or detected only under the microscope. Less often, people may have symptoms of bladder irritation, such as painful urination, frequency, urgency, or needing to urinate more frequently at night (nocturia).

image
image

Why is blood in urine not visible?

Some patients have blood in their urine that is not visible to the eye, because the amount of blood is very small. This symptom is called “microscopic hematuria,” because the blood is only visible using laboratory tests or a microscope to examine the urine sample.

What is the most common symptom of bladder cancer?

Blood in Urine. The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. 1-4 In many patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, blood in the urine is the first symptom, and it may be the only symptom that some patients experience. Around 80% to 90% of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer have this symptom.

What is hematuria in urine?

What is hematuria? The medical term for the symptom of blood in the urine is “hematuria.”. In patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, the most common symptom is having a large enough amount of blood in the urine that is visible and easy to see. This is called “gross hematuria.”. Patients may notice that after urinating, …

How often does bladder cancer occur?

It does not always occur every time the person urinates, and might not happen for weeks or even months at a time. Even if you do not notice blood in the urine very often, it is important to let your healthcare provider know about the symptom. Treatment for bladder cancer tends to be more effective when it is diagnosed as early as possible.

Can bladder cancer cause blood in urine?

When bladder cancer is at an early stage, it can cause blood in the urine but it might not cause any other symptoms, such as pain, burning, or other urinary symptoms. Sometimes patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, especially if it is at an early stage, may only have blood in their urine occasionally. It does not always occur every time the …

Can blood in urine be caused by medications?

Certain medications can also cause blood in the urine, such as aspirin or other medications that thin the blood. Foods and drinks that contain certain ingredients can temporarily change the color of your urine. These include artificial dyes, beets, blackberries, or rhubarb. Sign up for emails from BladderCancer.net:

Can you see blood in your urine if you have bladder cancer?

Urinalysis. Most patients diagnosed with bladder cancer have blood in their urine that they can see when they urinate. 1,2,4 If you experience this symptom, then your healthcare provider will probably perform a physical examination and order a laboratory test called a urinalysis on a sample of your urine.

How many cases of bladder cancer have no hematuria?

Among women with hematuria the rate of cancer was 1.7%, compared with 0.45% among those without hematuria. Among the 10 bladder cancer cases, six had no hematuria.

How old are women with bladder cancer?

The analysis showed that age was the only independently predictive risk factor. The women with cancer were an average of 71.2 years old, compared with age 51.6 for those without cancer. The youngest woman with bladder cancer was 59 years old.

Is smoking predictive of bladder cancer?

Goldberg said. “Smoking was not predictive, but we only had information on current status,” with no data on former smokers.

Does hematuria rule out bladder cancer?

Absence of Hematuria Does Not Rule Out Bladder Cancer. SAN DIEGO—Women who report irritative voiding symptoms should have their risk for bladder cancer assessed, even if they do not have hematuria, according to data presented here at the joint meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society and the Society for Gynecologic Surgeons.

Is cystourethroscopy a comprehensive way to diagnose bladder cancer?

Although cystourethroscopy is a comprehensive way to diagnose bladder cancer in such patients, physicians will still need to weigh its expense against the potential yield, Dr. Goldberg reported. However, other factors other than the presence or absence of hematuria may be more helpful.

How to check bladder lining for cancer?

This involves cutting out a small piece of tissue. It can then be examined under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If possible, the urologist will remove the entire tumor during cystoscopy.

Why do you need a blood test for bladder cancer?

The blood test is used primarily to make sure your kidneys are functioning normally. Your doctor may also send the urine sample to a special lab to look for cancer cells. If your primary care doctor is concerned about the possibility of bladder cancer, he or she will likely refer you to a urologist for a cystoscopy.

What is the procedure to remove bladder cancer?

Radical cystectomy is usually used to remove bladder cancer that has invaded beyond the bladder wall. If the entire tumor cannot be removed, chemotherapy or radiation therapy can shrink the tumor. It may then be removed surgically.

Why does my urine turn red?

There is not enough blood to change the urine color. This is called microscopic hematuria. When symptoms of bladder cancer do occur, they include: Red or rust colored urine caused by the presence of many red blood cells (called macroscopic hematuria) Painful urination or burning when urinating.

What is the treatment for a bladder infection?

The standard treatment is a surgery called radical cystectomy. Radical cystectomy removes the bladder, nearby lymph nodes and other nearby organs.

What is the risk of bladder cancer?

It is usually discovered before it has spread past this lining. Risk factors for bladder cancer include: Cancer-causing substances such as tobacco smoke and chemicals in the environment.

How long after smoking can you get bladder cancer?

Your risk of bladder cancer remains high for more than 10 years after your last cigarette. After reviewing your symptoms and risk factors, your doctor will examine you. The exam will include a rectal examination. Women will also have a pelvic examination. Your doctor will order laboratory tests.

Early Symptoms of Bladder Cancer

In the earliest stages of bladder cancer, most people do not have symptoms. When early symptoms do occur, they can have many other potential causes that are more likely than bladder cancer. Early symptoms include:

Later Symptoms of Bladder Cancer

Other symptoms are much less common or may occur later during bladder cancer. Some of these symptoms may be due to the spread of a bladder cancer to other regions of the body, and include: 4

Bladder Cancer in Men vs. Women

Bladder cancer is 3 to 4 times more common in people assigned male at birth than in people assigned female at birth. 5

Complications

There are very few complications during the earliest stages of bladder cancer. These may include: 4

When to See a Healthcare Provider

There are currently no guidelines or recommendations for screening people at risk of bladder cancer, including those who have significant risk factors. Clinical trials are ongoing to see if screening may detect bladder cancer early in some populations. 9

Summary

The most common early symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. The blood either may be visible to the naked eye or only able to be seen under a microscope. Other common symptoms include painful urination, increased frequency or urgency to urinate, needing to urinate in the middle of the night, and pain in one side of the lower back.

A Word From Verywell

Catching bladder cancer in the earliest stages greatly increases your chance for a cure.

What is hematuria?

Hematuria is the medical term for the presence of blood in the urine. It can have several causes, including bladder cancer. Other causes may include urinary tract infection (UTI), prostate infection, kidney disease, and kidney or prostate cancer. Many of you shared a misdiagnosis of recurrent UTIs. 2

Why does bladder cancer cause hematuria?

Blood in the urine is a hemorrhaging of the tumor. When the blood vessels of a tumor rupture, that blood ends up in the urine. Early on, cancer blood vessels are delicate. Small tears occur easily. As a tumor grows and invades nearby tissues and blood vessels, this causes bleeding.

Large or visible hematuria

Large or visible hematuria is also called gross hematuria. They may appear pink, red, or brown in the toilet. When visible, the color varies depending on:

Microscopic hematuria

Contrary to gross hematuria, microscopic hematuria is invisible to the naked eye. Blood cells are visible only through a microscope. Most adults have microscopic hematuria in routine urinalysis. It is troubling to find more than 3 blood cells per high-power field in several urine samples. These levels require further testing. 1

Blood clots

A blood clot develops if enough blood is present in the urine. A large clot blocks urine flow. This results in severe pain and the inability to urinate. Many of you passed blood clots in your urine before your bladder cancer diagnosis. 2

Learning together

We appreciate all the responses to our Facebook prompt. Your comments sparked curiosity about hematuria and bladder cancer. Thank you for the chance to learn together.

What is the best test for bladder cancer?

Several types of urine test have an important role in the overall process of diagnosing bladder cancer. Among these tests, urine cytology and urine tumor marker tests are used to detect the presence or absence of bladder cancer. Urine cytology has been used to assist bladder cancer diagnosis for over 75 years and has well-established strengths and limitations which are discussed in more detail below. Molecular tumor marker tests such as Cxbladder have been more recently developed, and provide high diagnostic accuracy in both detection and rule-out.

What does it mean when you have abnormal urine?

Abnormal findings in a urine test can be characteristic of certain disease processes. For instance, persistently elevated protein in urine is a common early sign of chronic kidney disease, high levels of glucose may indicate diabetes, the detection of bacteria is often associated with a UTI, and the presence of red blood cells or abnormal cells may indicate bladder cancer.

How to collect urine samples?

Urine samples are usually obtained by spontaneous voiding, using the clean-catch, midstream urine collection method. This involves voiding the first portion of urine into the toilet, collecting the midstream portion into a clean container, then voiding the remaining portion into the toilet. This method greatly reduces the risk of contaminants entering the sample. Less commonly, an invasive method of urine collection, such as placement of a urinary catheter, may be required.

What is urine made of?

Urine is made up of several components including water and waste materials filtered from the blood by the kidneys, as well as small numbers of cells such as epithelial cells shed from the lining of the urinary tract and possibly red and white blood cells . The type and quantity of the different components and cells contained in urine can provide important information regarding an individual’s health, which can help in the diagnosis of diseases such as bladder cancer.

What are the physical properties of urine?

Urine samples are routinely examined for physical properties (e.g., color, clarity, odor, density), chemical composition (e.g., pH, protein, glucose; commonly determined by a simple dipstick test) and microscopic appearance (e.g., the presence of cells, crystals, or bacteria). To detect bacteria, urine culture may also be performed, as described later.

How to contact CXbladder?

Contact us by phone or email, or fill out an online form and a Cxbladder representative will get back to you.

How long does it take to collect urine?

However, depending on the purpose of the test, certain urine voids of the day (e.g., the first or second void) may be preferred. Collection of urine from all voids over a defined time period (usually over 8 or 24 hours) or sample collection at specific times after eating may also be necessary.

What is the name of the condition that causes blood to be visible in urine?

You have Alport syndrome. Alport syndrome, which messes with the filtering membranes in your kidneys’ small blood vessels, is the other main inherited syndrome that can lead to visible or microscopic blood in your pee through glomerulonephritis.

How to get rid of a bladder infection?

See your doctor if you have any symptoms of a bladder infection. They’ll likely test your urine and, if you do have an infection, prescribe antibiotics to help get rid of it, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Without prompt treatment, your bladder infection can progress to a kidney infection, so don’t try to push through it.

What is it called when you pee and you feel a burning sensation?

A bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection that happens when bacteria gets into your body through your urethra (the small opening through which you pee). There, the bacteria can multiply, causing symptoms like a constant urge to pee, pain and burning when you do manage to squirt any out, and pelvic pressure, the Mayo Clinic explains.

What is the name of the infection that starts in the bladder and moves up to the kidneys?

3. You have a kidney infection. Speaking of bladder infections progressing, a kidney infection is a type of UTI that starts in your bladder and moves up to one or both of your kidneys, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says.

How to get a kidney stone out of your urine?

If you have a larger stone, though, your doctor can use shock waves to smash it into smaller pieces so you can pee them out, the NIDDK explains. Your doctor may also insert long, thin tools into your urethra to locate the stone, then remove it or break it into smaller pieces. In some cases, you may need to have a special medical instrument inserted into your kidney to remove the stone, but that’s really a last resort.

Why does my urine foam?

Chung says. You might also experience symptoms like foamy pee because it contains too much protein, high blood pressure , and bloating in your face, hands, feet, and abdomen, the Mayo Clinic explains.

Why does my pee look red?

1. You ate something hella red. Let’s start with the least worrisome cause: You might not actually be seeing blood at all. Foods with deep red hues such as beets, rhubarb, and berries can make your pee look red, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What Is Bladder Cancer?

Symptoms

  • Many people with bladder cancer have no symptoms. Instead, the diagnosis is made when red blood cells are detected in a urine sample. However, people with bladder cancer often don’t see blood in their urine. There is not enough blood to change the urine color. This is called microscopic hematuria. When symptoms of bladder cancer do occur, they incl…

See more on drugs.com

Diagnosis

  • Your doctor will review your medical history. He or she will ask about any history of kidney stones or urinary tract infections. These conditions can also cause blood in the urine. Your doctor will ask about your occupation and your diet. Your doctor will ask about your history of cigarette smoking. If you don’t smoke now, but did in the past, tell your doctor. Your risk of bladder cancer remains …

See more on drugs.com

Prevention

  • To reduce your risk of bladder cancer, don’t smoke. If you already smoke, ask your doctor about ways to help you quit. People who drink plenty of water every day may have a lower risk of bladder cancer. Some jobs increase exposure to chemicals that can cause bladder cancer. If you work with chemicals, find out what you can do to reduce your exposure.

See more on drugs.com

Treatment

  • Treatment of bladder cancer depends on: How aggressive the cancer is If it has spread beyond the lining of the bladder How much it has spread Tumor grade.The tumor grade is an estimate of how likely the cancer is to grow and spread rapidly. 1. High grade bladder canceris likely to grow and spread quickly and become life threatening. High-grade cancers often need to be treated wit…

See more on drugs.com

When to Call A Doctor

  • Call your doctor immediately if: 1. You notice blood in your urine 2. Your urine turns the color of rust 3. You begin to urinate more often than normal 4. Urination is painful or uncomfortable

See more on drugs.com

Prognosis

  • Your outlook depends on the stage of bladder cancer and the type of treatment used. Patients with superficial tumors have the best chance of survival. People with more invasive tumors or metastatic cancer generally have a poorer outlook.

See more on drugs.com

Further Information

  • Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Medical Disclaimer

See more on drugs.com

Leave a Comment