The urinary bladder is a muscular organ that retains urine that is produced by the kidneys. It can expand up to a certain degree. Bladder cancer is a condition in which cells of the bladder replicate in an unorganized manner. The common symptoms of bladder cancer are painless blood in the urine or frequent urination accompanied by pain. It is a highly treatable cancer through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Urinary bladder cancer often starts in the urolethial cells- one that lines inside your bladder and is also found in the kidneys and ureters. In most cases, bladder cancer is diagnosed early, which makes them easy to treat. However, it can come back even after successful treatment. Therefore people who already have had bladder cancer should attend follow-up visits with the healthcare provider. If you notice any abnormality in urine and its urination frequency, you should visit the best urologist in Karachi.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. It changes the color of urine to that of cola. However, this may not happen in all cases. Sometimes the urine may seem normal, but blood is detected in lab tests.
Other symptoms of bladder cancer are;
- Frequent and painful urination
- Back pain
Causes
The cell contains DNA that regulates the growth and replication of the cell. If any abnormality occurs in the genetic sequencing of the DNA, it eventually results in an abnormal growth pattern of cells- a condition called cancer. The genetic mutation of the cells of the bladder is known as bladder cancer.
In cancer, the abnormal cells keep growing up to the extent that it kills the healthy cells. These abnormal cells combine to form a mass called a tumor. After some time these abnormal cells can break and spread in the different organs of the body- a condition called metastases.
Risk Factors
The risk factors for bladder cancer can be;
Smoking
Smoking cigarettes can increase the risk for bladder cancer many times. When you smoke, you inhale toxins and harmful chemicals. These substances are present in your urine that is excreted out of the body. When they are present in urine, they can eventually damage the lining of the bladder, leading to bladder cancer.
Old age
The risk for bladder cancer increases as you age. It can occur anytime in life. But most people are diagnosed with it after the age of 55.
Male gender
Male are more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer as compared to females.
Certain chemicals
Getting exposed to certain chemicals increase the risk for bladder cancer. It happens because anything circulating in your bloodstream is filtered out by your kidneys and excreted out as urine. When chemicals like arsenic, or ones used in the manufacture of dyes, rubber, leather, textiles, and paint products, are present in urine, it can damage the lining of the bladder.
Receiving Previous Cancer Treatment
Patients who have received a chemotherapeutic drug called cyclophosphamide are at risk of developing bladder cancer. Those who have received radiation therapy aimed at the pelvis or lower body are also at risk of bladder cancer.
Chronic Bladder Inflammation
Repeated urinary tract infections and cystitis due to prolonged catheterization can increase the risk of bladder cancer.
History of Cancer
If you have a previous history or any of your family member like a parent, siblings have a history of bladder cancer can increase the risk of bladder cancer for you.
Prevention
Some tips can help prevent bladder cancer like;
- Quit smoking. If you find it difficult to quit, you can seek professional help.
- If you have to work around chemicals, make sure you have exercised proper safety measures.
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants- chemicals that bind with reactive oxygen species and get rid of them.
Conclusion
Bladder cancer is often treatable. A major reason for bladder cancer is smoking. Therefore you should quit smoking. If you are unable to quit smoking cigarettes, you should seek professional help. Your counselor can help you quit smoking by giving you nicotine gums. If you have a complaint of blood in the urine or recurrent urinary tract infections, you should visit the best urologist in Islamabad.
