what are the signs of bladder cancer

Symptoms

Bladder cancers that have grown large or have spread to other parts of the body can sometimes cause other symptoms, such as: Being unable to urinate Lower back pain on one side Loss of appetite and weight loss Feeling tired or weak Swelling in the feet Bone pain

Causes

Signs of Bladder Cancer. Blood in the Urine. It may be very faint with a pink tinge, or the blood may be obvious. Hematuria often occurs without pain or other urinary symptoms. Irritation, Pain, or Burning while Urinating. Urgency. Frequency. Having to Urinate at Night.

Prevention

Other symptoms that may be indicative of bladder cancer include: Abdominal pain When you experience pain in your abdomen that comes and goes or does not go away. Fatigue Constantly feeling tired or tiring easily. Lower back pain Pain in your lower back that does not feel the same as a pulled muscle or disk problems. Appetite loss or weight loss

Complications

Pain or burning sensation during urination Frequent urination Feeling the need to urinate many times throughout the night Feeling the need to urinate, but not being able to pass urine Lower back pain on 1 side of the body Most often, bladder cancer is diagnosed after a person tells their doctor about blood in the urine, also called hematuria.

What are the early symptoms of bladder cancer?

Feb 28, 2022 · Blood in the urine (hematuria): This is typically the first sign of bladder cancer. It may be present on a regular basis or disappear and reappear over the course of days or weeks. Sometimes blood is present in such a small amount that it can’t be seen with the naked eye, called microscopic hematuria, buta urine test may be able to detect it.

Do you know the early signs of bladder cancer?

Feb 10, 2022 · 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).

What are the chances of dying from bladder cancer?

Can you spot the signs of bladder cancer?

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What are the 5 warning signs of bladder cancer?

Here are five warning signs to watch for:Blood in the urine (hematuria). This is the most common early symptom of bladder cancer and typically the first sign of bladder cancer that is seen. … UTI-like symptoms. … Unexplained pain. … Decreased appetite. … Postmenopausal uterine bleeding.

Which of the following is the most common symptom of bladder cancer?

Blood in your urine is the most common symptom of bladder cancer. The medical name for blood in your urine is haematuria and it’s usually painless. You may notice streaks of blood in your urine or the blood may turn your urine brown. The blood isn’t always noticeable and it may come and go.

How do you determine if a person has bladder cancer?

Tests for bladder cancer look for different substances and/or cancer cells in the urine.Urinalysis: One way to test for bladder cancer is to check for blood in the urine ( hematuria). … Urine cytology: In this test, a microscope is used to look for cancer cells in urine.More items…•

Where does bladder cancer begin?

Most bladder cancers start in the innermost lining of the bladder, which is called the urothelium or transitional epithelium. As the cancer grows into or through the other layers in the bladder wall, it has a higher stage, becomes more advanced, and can be harder to treat.

What is usually the first symptom of bladder cancer?

In most cases, blood in the urine (called hematuria) is the first sign of bladder cancer. There may be enough blood to change the color of the urine to orange, pink, or, less often, dark red.

What are the symptoms of stage 1 bladder cancer?

SymptomsBlood in urine (hematuria), which may cause urine to appear bright red or cola colored, though sometimes the urine appears normal and blood is detected on a lab test.Frequent urination.Painful urination.Back pain.

Do you feel ill with bladder cancer?

Nausea and vomiting. Burning or pain when you urinate, feeling the need to go often, or blood in urine. Diarrhea. Feeling tired.

How does a urologist check for bladder cancer?

Cystoscopy. If bladder cancer is suspected, most doctors will recommend a cystoscopy. . A urologist uses a cystoscope, which is a long, thin, flexible tube with a light and a lens or a small video camera on the end.

What is the main cause of bladder cancer?

Smoking. Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. This is because tobacco contains cancer-causing (carcinogenic) chemicals. If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine.

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.

Is there pain with bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer can cause changes in urination. You might experience pain or a burning sensation when you urinate, and you may see blood in your urine. You may also feel: an urge to urinate more frequently than you used to.

Do you feel bloated with bladder cancer?

Abdominal Pain The types of pains can vary and include: Generalized pain — felt in more than half of the stomach area. Cramp-like pain — less serious and most likely due to bloating and gas.

What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?

Listen to surgeon Bernard Bochner discuss some of the most common symptoms of bladder cancer. Blood in the urine (hematuria) is often the most common sign of bladder cancer. There are other symptoms to watch for as well.

Can blood be seen in urine?

Hematuria often occurs without pain or other urinary symptoms. Blood may not be present in the urine all the time — it may come and go. If blood is not visibly noticeable, it may be detected by a urine test.

Can bladder cancer wake you up at night?

Bladder cancer may wake you up at night with an overwhelming need to urinate.

Can bladder cancer make you uncomfortable?

Bladder cancer may make it uncomfortable to eat or make you feel like you don’t want to eat at all.

How do you know if you have bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer signs and symptoms may include: Blood in urine (hematuria), which may cause urine to appear bright red or cola colored, though sometimes the urine appears normal and blood is detected on a lab test. Frequent urination. Painful urination. Back pain.

What type of cancer is a bladder cancer?

Types of bladder cancer include: Urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial carcinoma , previously called transitional cell carcinoma, occurs in the cells that line the inside of the bladder. Urothelial cells expand when your bladder is full and contract when your bladder is empty.

What is the most common type of bladder cancer?

Urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States. Squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is associated with chronic irritation of the bladder — for instance, from an infection or from long-term use of a urinary catheter. Squamous cell bladder cancer is rare in the United States.

What is the male urinary system?

Male urinary system. Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine. Your kidneys, located in the rear portion of your upper abdomen, produce urine by filtering waste and fluid from your blood. Bladder cancer is a common type …

Why are men more likely to get bladder cancer than women?

Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than women are. Exposure to certain chemicals. Your kidneys play a key role in filtering harmful chemicals from your bloodstream and moving them into your bladder. Because of this, it’s thought that being around certain chemicals may increase the risk of bladder cancer.

How does bladder cancer develop?

Bladder cancer develops when cells in the bladder begin to grow abnormally, forming a tumor in the bladder. Bladder cancer begins when cells in the bladder develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains instructions that tell the cell what to do.

Where does bladder cancer start?

Bladder cancer is a common type of cancer that begins in the cells of the bladder. The bladder is a hollow muscular organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Bladder cancer most often begins in the cells (urothelial cells) that line the inside of your bladder. Urothelial cells are also found in your kidneys and the tubes (ureters) …

What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?

Here are five warning signs to watch for: Blood in the urine (hematuria). This is the most common early symptom of bladder cancer and typically the first sign of bladder cancer that is seen. It’s easy for women to overlook because it’s typically painless and can go weeks or even months between occurrences.

Where does bladder cancer pain occur?

More advanced bladder cancers are often associated with pain. Pain can occur in the flank area, abdomen, or pelvis. Patients can also develop pain in their bones if the cancer has spread to their bones.

Why is bladder cancer overlooked?

Bladder cancer may be overlooked in women because it’s easy to chalk up symptoms to a stubborn UTI or normal vaginal spotting. Unfortunately, this means women are often diagnosed after the cancer has spread and become harder to treat. So if you’re worried, don’t just write off your symptoms.

How many recurrences does bladder cancer have?

Bladder cancer has a 50-80% recurrence rate, which is among the highest of any form of cancer. This is why it is imperative to continue to see your physician and be on the lookout for any symptoms of bladder cancer if you’ve had it before. When in doubt, get it checked out. Age is another major factor.

How many chances of developing bladder cancer in women?

Women have a 1 in 89 chance of developing bladder cancer in their lifetime (Source: American Cancer Society – Key Statistics for Bladder Cancer). However, bladder cancer in women is on the rise.

How common is bladder cancer in women?

However, don’t let those stats keep you from learning to spot the warning signs. While bladder cancer isn’t one of the most common cancers in women, about 18,000 women are diagnosed with bladder cancer every year in the United States …

Why are women more likely to get bladder cancer?

The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network reports that women are more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer at an advanced stage because they may not be on the lookout for early signs.

Blood in urine (hematuria)

The most common clinical sign of bladder cancer is painless gross hematuria, blood in the urine that can easily be seen.

Painful urination

Pain when urinating, urgency, frequency and a constant need to urinate may be symptoms a bladder cancer patient initially experiences. Oftentimes, though, these are merely symptoms of a urinary tract infection and antibiotics become the first line of treatment.

Urgent need to urinate

Urination urgency, or feeling like you must pee immediately, can be a sign of bladder cancer. This can happen even when your bladder is not full. If you experience this (it can happen to men and women), we strongly recommend that you go see your primary doctor, or a urologist.

Feeling the need (but unable) to pass urine

Sometimes, the urgent need to urinate is accompanied by the inability to empty your bladder. Again, the need but inability to urinate is likely to be cause by something other than bladder cancer, but it is still very important to get checked out by your doctor.

Abdominal pain

When you experience pain in your abdomen that comes and goes or does not go away.

Lower back pain

Pain in your lower back that does not feel the same as a pulled muscle or disk problems.

How would I know if I had bladder cancer?

Only a doctor can confirm or rule out bladder cancer. Learn how doctors diagnose and monitor bladder cancer.

What does it mean when you feel the need to urinate but can’t pass urine?

Feeling the need to urinate, but not being able to pass urine. Lower back pain on 1 side of the body. Most often, bladder cancer is diagnosed after a person tells their doctor about blood in the urine, also called hematuria. “Gross hematuria” means that enough blood is present in the urine that the patient can see it.

Can you see blood in urine?

It is also possible that there are small amounts of blood in the urine that cannot be seen. This is called “microscopic hematuria,” and it can only be found with a urine test. General urine tests are not used to make a specific diagnosis of bladder cancer because hematuria can be a sign of several other conditions that are not cancer, …

Can bladder cancer spread to other parts of the body?

Sometimes when the first symptoms of bladder cancer appear, the cancer has already spread to another part of the body. In this situation, the symptoms depend on where the cancer has spread. For example, cancer that has spread to the lungs may cause a cough or shortness of breath, spread to the liver may cause abdominal pain or jaundice …

Can bladder cancer cause pain?

People with bladder cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with bladder cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer. Blood or blood clots in the urine. Pain or burning sensation during urination.

How do you know if you have bladder cancer?

When bladder tumors grow larger, or cancer cells spread to other areas of the body, they may cause symptoms including: Inability to urinate. Lower back pain, generally focused on one side. Weakness or fatigue. Feet swelling.

Why does blood in urine mean tumors?

But blood in the urine doesn’t always mean there’s a tumor in the bladder. It’s more likely to be caused by a less serious condition, such as an infection. kidney stones, bladder stones, or noncancerous tumors or kidney diseases.

What does it mean when your urine turns red?

When blood causes urine’s color to change, it’s called gross hematuria. Early-stage bladder cancer doesn’t usually cause pain or other symptoms besides bleeding. But blood in the urine doesn’t always mean there’s a tumor in the bladder.

What is CTCA in cancer?

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), our bladder cancer experts treat all stages of the disease.

Can a bladder cancer test be repeated?

In this case, doctors may recommend repeating the test . Urination changes: Changes in urination are more commonly a sign of a less serious condition, such as a benign tumor, infection, urinary tract infection, bladder stones, an overactive bladder or, in men, an enlarged prostate. But they also may be another early sign of bladder cancer symptoms.

Can bladder cancer cause abnormal urine?

Bladder cancer symptoms. Because the bladder is responsible for holding urine after it is produced by the kidneys, many symptoms of bladder cancer may relate to urination abnormalities. Understanding when symptoms are a sign of something serious and either diagnosing bladder cancer or confirming a previous diagnosis require expertise …

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.