Contents
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. When bladder cancer spreads, it first invades the bladder wall, which is made up of four distinct layers.
How dangerous is bladder cancer?
Once bladder cancer has reached the lymph nodes, it can travel to distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system. Separately, it can also continue to grow into surrounding areas such as the abdominal wall (peritoneum). Distant bladder cancer metastasis. Once cancerous cells have reached the lymphatic system, they can make their way to almost any part of the …
What are the chances of dying from bladder cancer?
· Where does bladder cancer usually metastasize to? Lymph nodes, bones, lung, liver, and peritoneum are the most common sites of metastasis from bladder cancer. Tumors in a more advanced T category and those with atypical histologic features metastasize earlier.
What is the survival rate for Stage 3 bladder cancer?
When bladder cancer spreads to other parts of the body When cancer cells break away from where they started to grow and start spreading to other parts of the body, it is called metastasis. Metastatic bladder cancer is the name for bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, the liver, or the bones.
What is the recovery time for bladder cancer surgery?
· 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. It’s not called bone cancer unless it starts in the bone.
Where does bladder cancer usually spread to 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.
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 likely to 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.
When bladder cancer spreads where does it go?
Bladder cancer can spread this way. If it does, it usually first spreads to the lymph nodes in the pelvis around the bladder (called perivesicular lymph nodes). From there, it can spread to lymph nodes that are close to major blood vessels that run into the leg and pelvis.
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.
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 spread to colon?
The common sites of metastasis from a urinary bladder carcinoma include lymph nodes, bones, lung, liver, and peritoneum. Only a few cases of small bowel metastasis from urinary bladder malignancy have been reported in the English literature. Only one of these cases presented with bowel intussusception.
Does bladder cancer spread to liver?
It’s not uncommon for bladder cancer to metastasize to the lungs, liver or bones. This can cause pain and other symptoms in distant parts of the body. In many cases, metastatic bladder cancer also causes general complications such as fatigue and weight loss.
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%.
How long can you live with Stage 4 bladder cancer?
The 5-year survival rate is the rate of surviving for 5 years after a cancer diagnosis. For bladder cancer, if the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 36.3 percent . If it has spread to a more distant site, the 5-year survival rate is 4.6 percent .
Can non invasive bladder cancer metastasis?
Low-grade noninvasive bladder cancer rarely turns into aggressive, invasive, or metastatic disease, but patients are at risk for developing more low-grade cancers throughout their life.
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
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 it called when bladder cancer spreads to other parts of the body?
When cancer cells break away from where they started to grow and start spreading to other parts of the body, it is called metastasis . Metastatic bladder cancer is the name for bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, the liver, or the bones.
How to treat metastatic bladder cancer?
Treatment for metastatic bladder cancer may involve a combination of chemotherapy treatments with or without surgery or radiation. Systemic chemotherapy is typically used as first-line treatment for metastatic bladder cancer, but this can vary for each person. Systemic means the chemotherapy drugs target the cancer cells, but all of the cells in your body are also exposed to the medicine. These drugs help stop or reduce the growth of cancer cells throughout the body. 1,5
What is it called when cancer cells grow in the bladder?
Even if the cancer cells are first discovered in the bones, for example, if they first started growing in the bladder it is still called metastatic bladder cancer. 1.
How to diagnose bladder cancer?
A cystoscopy is the main test used to identify and diagnose bladder cancer. During the procedure, a cystoscope (lighted telescope) is inserted into your bladder from the urethra so your doctor can view the inside of your bladder. If the procedure is done under anesthesia, your doctor can also take a biopsy (tissue samples) so they can examine it for signs of cancer. If the tests find cancer cells or tumors in the bladder, then more tests will likely be needed to find out if there are bladder cancer cells in other parts of the body. 3
What is systemic chemotherapy?
Systemic means the chemotherapy drugs target the cancer cells, but all of the cells in your body are also exposed to the medicine. These drugs help stop or reduce the growth of cancer cells throughout the body. 1,5. A combination of chemotherapy drugs usually works better than 1 drug alone.
What is bladder cancer made of?
Metastatic Bladder Cancer. The bladder is a flexible, hollow organ that is mostly made of muscle, but it has a thin layer of cells lining the inside of the bladder walls called the urothelium. In most patients with bladder cancer, the cancer cells started to grow in this inner lining of the bladder. As the number of cancer cells grows, they can …
How long does bladder cancer last?
The 5-year relative survival rates for people with distant bladder cancer, meaning the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the lungs, liver, or bones, is about 5 percent. This means that people with metastatic bladder cancer are, on average, about 5 percent as likely as people who do not have this form …
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.
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 blue light on a cystoscopy?
Blue light cystoscopy: Sometimes, special drugs are put into the bladder during the exam. Cancer cells soak up these drugs and then glow when the doctor shines a blue light through the scope. This can help the doctor see cancer cells that might have been missed with the normal light.
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.
Which organs are most likely to have metastasis?
From my understanding, lungs, liver, and bone metastasis are most common.
What is bladder cancer advocacy?
The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Support Community connects patients, families, friends and caregivers for support and inspiration. This community is sponsored by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, an Inspire trusted partner.
Is a tumor in the uro tract invasive?
My understanding is that if the new tumor in the uro tract is not muscle invasive then it can be considered as a recurrence. But if the new tumor is muscle invasive it can be considered as metastatic. Metastatic cells have more mutations than non-metastatic and these additional mutations give them the ability to dislodge from urothelium (loss of adhesion) and move. Muscle invasive tumors in the urothelium have the ability to move. This is the major event, the transition from non-invasive cells to invasive. This transformation is called Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2689101/#N#This process happens in many normal biological events like embrionic development and wound healing, but cancer hijacked it for metastasis.
Is bladder cancer harder to treat surgically?
Maia- sometimes it’s just a question of symantics but generally the farther the distance from your bladder that bladder cancer shows up, the harder it is to treat surgically. Of course, chemo and immunotherapies attempt to treat your body all over to also include the cancer cells wherever they may reside. Each trial qualification is difference but mine relied on the fact that I had “measurable” metastasis. That usually means certain types of tumors need to be a certain size and usually this is measured in mm.
Can kidney cancer recur?
Yes, recurrence, from what I understand, is easier to treat than metastasis, because it can sometimes be treated locally. Yes, the prognosis is somewhat better especially if it can be treated effectively. It would be unusual to have the cancer recur in both kidneys at once, so your oncologist may be correct in her assessment. It will be crucial to monitor your dad’s kidneys and see if the spots are gone at the next CT scan date. Six weeks is a reasonable time frame prior to biopsy. It sounds like you are getting good medical advice.#N#Maja, hang in there and know that this, too, shall pass (my mother’s favorite expression). In six weeks, you’ll have more answers, and even if there is a biopsy, it may come back as some oddity, not cancer at all.#N#On the home page for BCAN, I believe there is a link to clinical trials; most are being done with metastatic cancer, but there are some (in certain NCI locations) for T1G3 cancer of the bladder, and there may be some for TCC of the kidney. Your oncologist may know of some as well, but she isn’t “jumping the gun” until she has more answers.#N#I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.#N#Karen
Can bladder cancer show up in kidneys?
There are lots of lesions which show up on lungs which prove not to be malignant, but yes, bladder cancer can also show up there. Try not to worry too much or get ahead of yourself. If it is limited to the kidney, there is much which can be done….#N#Hoping this all turns out well for you,#N#Karen
What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?
What Are the Most Common Metastatic Bladder Cancer Symptoms? The most common symptoms of bladder cancer involve urinary function, although other complications can occur if the cancer spreads. It’s not uncommon for bladder cancer to metastasize to the lungs, liver or bones.
Can cancer spread to bones?
Cancer that spreads to bones can weaken the bones and make them more prone to breakage . Bone metastases can also be painful, especially at night and during activity.
Can bladder cancer be diagnosed without a professional?
Without a professional evaluation, it can be difficult to know if the symptoms you’re experiencing are the result of bladder cancer or something else. While it’s important not to panic – most of these issues can be caused by other, less serious conditions – it’s also important to talk with an expert if you notice something out of the ordinary. The earlier that bladder cancer is detected, the more treatment options you’re likely to have.
Can bladder cancer cause pain?
It’s not uncommon for bladder cancer to metasta size to the lungs, liver or bones. This can cause pain and other symptoms in distant parts of the body. In many cases, metastatic bladder cancer also causes general complications such as fatigue and weight loss.
Where Bladder Cancer Can Spread
Symptoms and Complications
Treatment Options
Living with Bladder Cancer
Prognosis
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. There are several treatments for this disease. Chemotherapy is usually the first-line …
See more on verywellhealth.com