does bladder cancer spread fast

Once bladder cancer has spread outside the bladder, it may escalate at a fast pace. Certain types of tumors may be more aggressive and fast-growing than others. Treatments such as chemotherapy may slow down the progression of the disease by shrinking tumors and reducing spread.

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Answer

What are the stages of bladder cancer?

 · Low-grade bladder cancers look a lot like normal bladder cells. They tend to grow and spread slowly. High-grade bladder cancers look less like normal bladder cells. These cancers are more likely to grow and spread. They can be harder to treat. Stage

What are the best treatment centers for bladder cancer?

 · If your bladder cancer is allowed to grow, it might eventually invade the whole way through the wall and into the fat enclosing the bladder and even into other organs (prostate, uterus, vagina). This local extension is the most common way bladder cancer spreads. By accessing the lymphatic system, cancer can also spread.

Is bladder cancer fast growing?

This includes how deep it’s thought to have grown into the bladder wall and whether it has spread beyond the bladder. 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. Treating stage 0 bladder cancer

How do you remove a bladder tumor?

 · Tumor grading for bladder cancer classifies tumors as high-grade and low-grade. A high-grade tumor grows and spreads more quickly than a low-grade tumor. Other Factors Bladder cancer prognosis can also be affected by modifiable and non-modifiable factors.

Where does bladder cancer spread first?

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 fast can bladder cancer grow?

Conclusions. Nearly three-fourths of patients diagnosed with high-risk bladder cancer will recur, progress, or die within ten years of their diagnosis.

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.

How fast does high grade bladder cancer spread?

T1Hg bladder cancer progresses to muscle-invasive or metastatic disease at a rate of 30% to 50% after 5 years. As a result, some studies advocate initial cystectomy based on the perceived acceptable morbidity and a 5-year disease-specific survival rate of 80% to 90%.

Can you live 10 years with bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer survival rates by stage According to the American Cancer Society , the relative survival rates for all stages of bladder cancer are: 5 years: 77 percent. 10 years: 70 percent. 15 years: 65 percent.

What is life expectancy with bladder cancer?

Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed….5-year relative survival rates for bladder cancer.SEER Stage5-year Relative Survival RateDistant6%All SEER stages combined77%2 more rows•Mar 1, 2022

What are the signs that bladder cancer has spread?

The signs and symptoms of bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body include:tiredness or weakness.pain when urinating.difficulty urinating or inability to urinate.pain in the lower back on one side of the body.weight loss.swollen feet.bone pain.

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.

Is bladder cancer a slow growing cancer?

Low-grade bladder cancers look a lot like normal bladder cells. They tend to grow and spread slowly. High-grade bladder cancers look less like normal bladder cells. These cancers are more likely to grow and spread.

Can you have bladder cancer for years and not know it?

It may be seen as a symptom of post-menopausal bleeding, simple cystitis or a urinary tract infection. As a result, a bladder cancer diagnosis can be overlooked for a year or more.

Does removing the bladder cure bladder cancer?

Removing part of the bladder is not a common operation for bladder cancer. It is usually used to treat the very rare type of cancer called adenocarcinoma of the bladder. After having a partial cystectomy, you can pass urine in the normal way.

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…

Treating Stage 0 Bladder Cancer

Stage 0 bladder cancer includes non-invasive papillary carcinoma (Ta) and flat non-invasive carcinoma (Tis). In either case, the cancer has not inv…

Treating Stage I Bladder Cancer

Stage I bladder cancers have grown into the connective tissue layer of the bladder wall but have not reached the muscle layer.Transurethral resecti…

Treating Stage II Bladder Cancer

These cancers have invaded the muscle layer of the bladder wall. Transurethral resection (TURBT) is typically the first treatment for these cancers…

Treating Stage III Bladder Cancer

These cancers have reached the outside of the bladder and might have grown into nearby tissues or organs.Transurethral resection (TURBT) is typical…

Treating Stage IV Bladder Cancer

These cancers have reached the abdominal or pelvic wall (T4b tumors) or have spread to nearby lymph nodes or distant parts of the body. Stage IV ca…

Treating Bladder Cancer That Progresses Or Recurs

If cancer continues to grow during treatment (progresses) or comes back (recurs), your treatment options will depend on where and how much the canc…

How do you know if you have bladder cancer?

Signs of bladder cancer are problems peeing, pain when peeing, needing to go more often than normal, and seeing blood in your urine

What is the best test to find out if you have bladder cancer?

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 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.

Where does urine go when you pee?

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 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.

Where is the bladder located?

The bladder is a hollow organ that stores urine before it leaves your body. It sits in the lowest part of your belly, called your pelvis. Urine is made in your kidneys. 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.

Can a test show if bladder cancer is growing?

Tests can show how deeply the cancer has grown into the bladder wall.

Where does bladder cancer come from?

Bladder cancers appear almost entirely from the innermost lining of the bladder, so they are referred to as transitional cell or urothelial cancer. This simply means that the cancer started in the lining of the bladder, which can be composed of transitional cells that appear elliptical beneath the microscope.

What are the risks of bladder cancer?

Cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. It’s projected that about half of bladder cancers are due to cigarette smoking. If you’re a smoker, the possibility of being identified as having bladder cancer is increased two to four times. Other risk factors for developing bladder cancer consist of, family history, genetic mutations, work-related exposure to compounds (especially those processed in paint, dye, metal and petroleum products), preceding cancer treatment with cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, or pelvic radiation, exposure to arsenic notably in well water, aristolochic (a Chinese herb), bladder infections caused by Schistosoma haematobium, and neurogenic bladder and the overuse of indwelling catheters.

Why does bladder cancer cause flank pain?

These are due to irritation of the bladder wall by the tumour. In complex instances of bladder cancer, the tumor can in fact obstruct either the entry of urine from your bladder into the bladder or the departure of urine. This causes acute flank pain, illness, and injury to the kidneys.

What is the physical exam for bladder cancer?

When a diagnosis of bladder cancer is manufactured, a complete physical examination is completed along with any metastatic disease, the local extent of disease, and the formerly mentioned radiologic studies to completely assess the urinary tract.

How does lymph node cancer spread?

The presence of lymph node spread is best evaluated by CT scan or at surgical exploration. Bladder cancer can also spread through the bloodstream. Cancer cells gain entry to distant organs through the bloodstream and also the tumors that originate from cells’ travel to other organs are called metastases.

How to prevent bladder cancer?

Smoking cessation is the most effective solution to avoid bladder cancer. Moreover, cutting back the exposure should reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer. Aside from these preventative measures, decreasing the danger of invasive bladder cancer relies on early detection of symptoms and potentially screening high risk people.

How many people died from bladder cancer in 2015?

It is projected that in 2015 in the United States, there will be 74,000 new cases of bladder cancer, resulting in 16,000 deaths. It’s the sixth most frequent cancer diagnosis in the United States, being more common in girls and eleventh the third most common in guys. In America, bladder cancer will affect older men more frequently;

Where Bladder Cancer Can Spread

The bladder is a hollow organ that holds urine. It has flexible walls that are composed of several layers. When bladder cancer starts to spread, it grows through each layer of the bladder wall.

Symptoms and Complications

The first symptom of bladder cancer is usually blood in the urine. However, it’s possible to have blood in your urine and not see it. Laboratory testing can identify blood in urine, even when it’s not visible to the eye. As bladder cancer spreads, you may experience other symptoms, too. Advanced bladder cancer symptoms include: 5

Treatment Options

Treatments for metastatic bladder cancer can vary, based on things like how extensively your cancer has spread, your overall health and strength, and your current symptoms.

Living With Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer symptoms and treatments can be overwhelming. No matter where you are on your treatment journey, you’ll need to meet with your healthcare provider for regular checkups and tests. Talking to your healthcare team about the next steps and what to expect can provide a road map during this time.

Prognosis

Metastatic bladder cancer is a challenging diagnosis. Your health, strength, and age will all play a role in your prognosis. How well your cancer responds to treatment is also a significant factor.

Summary

Metastatic bladder cancer is cancer that has spread outside of the bladder to other parts of the body. If you have metastatic bladder cancer, your treatment will be focused on destroying or slowing down cancer cells throughout your body, not just in your bladder.

A Word From Verywell

A diagnosis of metastatic bladder cancer can feel overwhelming, but there’s treatment to help manage symptoms and slow disease progression. No matter where you are on your treatment journey, it’s important to maintain regular appointments with your healthcare provider to keep your cancer under control.

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.

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.

What to do if you have cancer that hasn’t been removed?

(Less often, close follow-up alone might be an option.) If all of the cancer wasn’t removed, options are intravesical BCG or cystectomy (removal of part or all of the bladder).

How to get rid of stage IV cancer?

The tumor is then rechecked. If it appears to be gone, chemo with or without radiation or cystectomy are options.

What is the treatment for cancer that recurs in distant parts of the body?

Cancers that recur in distant parts of the body can be harder to remove with surgery, so other treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation therapy , might be needed. For more on dealing with a recurrence, see Understanding Recurrence.

Can you get a radical cystectomy before surgery?

Radical cystectomy may be the only treatment for people who are not well enough to get chemo. But most doctors prefer to give chemo before surgery because it’s been shown to help patients live longer than surgery alone. When chemo is given first, surgery is delayed. This is not a problem if the chemo shrinks the bladder cancer, but it might be harmful if the tumor continues to grow during chemo.

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.

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 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.

How many people will die from bladder cancer in 2020?

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States, representing 4.5% of all new cancer cases in the country. 1 There were an estimated 81,400 new cases of bladder cancer in 2020. This form of cancer resulted in about 17,980 deaths in the same year. 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 function of the bladder?

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.

How many stages of cancer are there in TNM?

Its purpose is to measure and communicate the extent of tumor growth. There are five TNM stages, from 0 to 4. The lower the stage number, the smaller the spread of cancer.

What is the difference between localized and distant cancer?

These rates are classified by stage: localized, regional, and distant. Cancer is considered localized when it is only found in the part of the body where it started. 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.

Is bladder cancer muscle invasive?

Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed bladder cancer cases are muscle-invasive. 5. Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: The cancer in this case is confined to the inner surface of the bladder and does not involve the bladder muscle. Some cases may progress to muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Where does bladder cancer start?

Bladder cancer is a tumor (uncontrolled growth of cells) that starts in your urinary bladder. The urinary bladder is a balloon-like organ present in the lower abdomen near the pelvis. Its function is to store urine coming from the kidneys through the ureters (pipe-like passageways for urine) until it is expelled from the body through the tube-like passage called the urethra.

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.

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.

What is gallbladder cancer?

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of the aggressive cancers of the biliary tract. The gallbladder generates and concentrates bile that aids in the digestion of fats. GBC is a rare, yet deadly cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.

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 treatment for high grade bladder cancer?

High-grade bladder cancer: High-grade cancers that are life-threatening and spread quickly need to be treated with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.

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.

How does bladder cancer spread?

Bladder cancer spreads when cancerous cells reproduce and invade surrounding healthy tissues. This is known as metastasis. Usually, metastatic bladder cancer refers to cancer that has spread to distant organs, but metastasis can occur locally in the muscles and connective tissues that are directly adjacent to the bladder as well.

What is the treatment for bladder cancer?

Potential treatment options may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and clinical trials.

Can bladder cancer be metastasized to lymphatic system?

Once cancerous cells have reached the lymphatic system, they can make their way to almost any part of the body. However, the most common sites for distant bladder cancer metastases include the:

Can bladder cancer spread to other organs?

Metastatic bladder cancer can also spread to other organs in the urinary and reproductive tracts, such as the prostate, uterus and vagina.

Does Moffitt Cancer Center treat bladder cancer?

At Moffitt Cancer Center, we’ve treated many patients with metastatic bladder cancer, creating ta ilored treatment plans for every single one. To help ease the burdens of treatment, we also offer comprehensive supportive care services for patients and their caregivers.

How does bladder cancer work?

It works by slowing down or stopping fast-dividing cancer cells, but it can also affect healthy cells that are dividing quickly. These include cells in the mouth, throat, stomach, and hair.

How many stages of bladder cancer are there?

There are four stages, which people often write using Roman numerals. Stage 4 cancer will sometimes appear in writing as stage IV. Knowing what to expect from stage 4 bladder cancer can help people to make informed decisions about their treatment and care.

How do you know if you have bladder cancer?

The signs and symptoms of bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body include: tiredness or weakness. pain when urinating. difficulty urinating or inability to urinate. pain in the lower back on one side of the body. weight loss.

What happens when bladder cancer is stage 4?

When bladder cancer reaches stage 4, the original tumor has often grown and pushed through the wall of the bladder. Cancer cells may have spread to organs close to the bladder or those further away, such as the liver or lungs.

Why is pain important for cancer patients?

Pain relief is an important part of cancer treatment for many people. As pain can differ from person to person, it is important to be as clear as possible when discussing pain with a doctor. This will allow the doctor to prescribe suitable, quick, and effective pain relief.

What is the best treatment for bladder cancer?

Chemotherapy. The most common treatment for stage 4 bladder cancer is chemotherapy, which can slow down the growth of cancer cells or shrink a tumor. This sometimes makes it possible for surgeons to remove part or all of the bladder.

How to help someone with cancer?

Gentle exercise is safe for most people who have cancer, but it is best to check with a doctor for advice first. Walking and swimming do not put much strain on the body and can help to boost mood and reduce tiredness.

Where Bladder Cancer Can Spread

• The bladder is a hollow organ that holds urine. It has flexible walls that are composed of several layers. When bladder cancer starts to spread, it grows through each layer of the bladder wall. When cancer cells continue to grow outside the bladder wall, they may migrate into surrounding organs or lymph nodes. Once cancer cells are in the lymphatic…

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Symptoms and Complications

Treatment Options

Living with Bladder Cancer

Prognosis

Summary

A Word from Verywell