The risk associated with bladder cancer starts to increase with age, with approximately 90% of cases being diagnosed when the person is over 55 years old (the average being 73 years old). Approximately half of all cases get diagnosed when the cancer is at an early stage, which means it is highly treatable. However, it can become life-threatening without treatment. Bladder cancer generally begins in the transitional epithelium, which are the cells of the bladder lining and in some cases, it might spread into the surrounding bladder muscle.

Read on for the main causes, symptoms, and treatment options for bladder cancer:

1. Bladder cancer causes
There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of a person developing bladder cancer. Smoking is the biggest risk, next to exposure to chemicals. Exposure to chemicals might account, according to some studies, for approximately 25% of cases, but it can take up to 30 years after the exposure before bladder cancer starts developing. Other things that might increase the risk are radiotherapy, long-term bladder stones, an untreated schistosomiasis, and repeated or long-term urinary tract infections.

2. Bladder cancer symptoms
When it comes to symptoms, bladder cancer manifest itself through trace blood in the urine, or through painful and frequent urination. Other symptoms include a burning sensation when urinating, feeling the urge to urinate even if the bladder is empty, a change in urine color, or the inability to urinate (or very little). However, these symptoms can also be representative of a urinary tract infection, a bladder infection, or other types of urinary system conditions. During the later stages, once bladder cancer begins to spread, symptoms might include swollen feet, bone pain, loss of appetite, sudden and unexplained weight, feeling tired or weak, and lower back pain.

3. Bladder cancer types
There are a number of types of bladder cancer, but the most common is transitional cell carcinoma (or TCC). This type of cancer can be invasive or non-invasive, which depends on whether or not the cells remain in the bladder’s lining or if the spread into the muscle layer. The more invasive the cancer becomes the more difficult it is to treat. Other types of bladder cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and sarcoma. Squamous cell carcinoma represents 50% of cases, while the rest make up around 1% or less cases, and are considered rare forms of bladder cancer.

4. Bladder cancer treatmen ts
There are several options available when it comes to treating bladder cancer, and the doctor will decide which one fits bets depending on a number of factors such as age, stage of cancer, and other existing health conditions:

• TURBT surgery: Bladder cancer can be removed through surgery, with TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor) being a common surgery for the early stages. The procedure involves a resectoscope being inserted into the bladder through the urethra and the removal of abnormal tumors or tissues.
• Radical cystectomy: This treatment is often combined with chemotherapy. A radical cystectomy refers to the removal of all the bladder (but the doctor can also opt to remove only part of it, which is called a partial cystectomy). Chemotherapy is done by injecting chemo through an IV, with the medication being able to kill calls that might have spread beyond the bladder. Radiation therapy is also an option, with the treatment involving the use of high-energy radiation in order to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy could be recommended in case of bladder cancer which is at an early stage, if surgery is not possible, or as a follow-up to surgery.
• Intravesical therapy: Another type of treatment also used for early-stage cancers is the intravesical therapy. This type of treatment involves the use of a catheter for injecting medication directly into the bladder. The doctor will choose between immunotherapy or chemotherapy – with the former being used as a method to make the body’s immune system attack cancer cells, while the latter involves medication that kills the cells.