Cancer of the urinary bladder develops in over 61,000 Americans each year, leading to over 13,000 deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, the chance of a man developing this cancer at any time during his life is about 1 in 30; for a woman, the chance is 1 in 90. Since bladder cancer that is detected in the early stages has a good chance of cure, awareness of the signs and symptoms of this malignancy are critical. Anyone experiencing the signs or symptoms of bladder cancer should be checked by a urologist, who can perform tests to diagnose bladder cancer even in its early stages.

Men are about three times more likely than women to develop bladder cancer, and older people are more likely to be affected. Up to 90% of those affected are over the age of 55. Exposure to certain chemicals used in manufacturing and industry (including paints and paint thinners, some hairdressing supplies, and certain dyes) are associated with a higher risk of bladder cancer. Smokers are also at an increased risk for development of bladder cancer.

Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer include:

• Blood in the urine. This is the most common symptom of bladder cancer and occurs in the vast majority of people with bladder cancer. Having blood in the urine does not necessarily mean a person has cancer, since other conditions (including infections) can lead to bloody urine, but blood in the urine is never normal and should always be evaluated by a doctor.
• Urinary urgency or pain on urination.
• Back or abdominal pain.
• Loss of appetite and weight.

When tumors are in the early stages and have not grown into the bladder wall, they can usually be removed by an outpatient surgical procedure. The five-year survival rate for patients with early stage bladder cancer is 85%. Fortunately, most patients with bladder cancer (up to 80%) will be diagnosed with a superficial tumor. If a tumor has grown into the wall of the bladder but has not spread to other organs, treatment usually involves surgical removal of the tumor, or combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with a five-year survival rate of 60% to 75%. In more advanced cases, with spread of the cancer to other sites in the body, more aggressive treatment plans must be considered.