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The human bladder is a hollow organ designed to store urine prior to its elimination. Found in the lower abdominal cavity, individuals usually feel pressure in this area when it is becoming full. Bladder cancer research indicates that the latter is the sixth most common cancer type to affect people living in the Western world. Fortunately, when tumors in this area are discovered early, patients' lives can often be saved.
Symptoms include blood in one's urine, frequency, pain upon urination and low back pain. However, these symptoms are not always a sign of a malignancy, as infections, cysts, and other conditions may also result in these occurrences. For this reason, prompt medical evaluation is necessary when such symptoms are present.
Risk factors for developing this disease include exposure to certain chemicals and cigarette smoking. The sulfur contained in many tobacco products can result in this type of cancer. This is because this substance irritates the lining of the bladder, making it more susceptible to the proliferation of free radicals.
For unknown reasons, females are at a lower risk for this disease than males. In addition, bladder malignancies affect more Caucasians than Asians or Africans. Again, there is no known reason for this phenomenon. Additionally, as individuals grow older, their risk of developing such conditions increases. This might be because the human immune system typically weakens as a person grows older. However, hereditary factors that do not surface until a person has reached a considerable age may be to blame as well.
Therapy for this kind of cancer includes radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. Biological therapies are also used in certain cases. The latter are techniques developed to enhance a person's own immune system, which can then effectively fight any cancerous growths present in his or her body. Additional studies are required to determine if this technique is effective, but preliminary studies have caused many researchers to be optimistic about this type of treatment.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on the stage of the cancer. If it is caught before it has invaded other organs, which is referred to as stage I, it is typically cured through surgery. Stage II malignancies refer to those that have invaded nearby organs. In this case, radiation is commonly given to the patient, or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, depending on the area to which the cells have metastasized. Stage III and stage IV tumors are usually treated with chemotherapy, or combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
For tumors that are superficial, and therefore considered low risk stage I malignancies, there is only a fifteen percent chance of recurrence. Interestingly, however, if they do recur, the disease is usually no more aggressive than it was initially. This means that if it was caught early and cured when it first occurred, this will probably be the outcome should it return in the future.
Additional bladder cancer research is currently being conducted to find more effective ways to both treat and prevent this disease. Although not a common condition, it can be deadly. Therefore, anyone experiencing the aforementioned symptoms should seek medical attention without delay.
Symptoms include blood in one's urine, frequency, pain upon urination and low back pain. However, these symptoms are not always a sign of a malignancy, as infections, cysts, and other conditions may also result in these occurrences. For this reason, prompt medical evaluation is necessary when such symptoms are present.
Risk factors for developing this disease include exposure to certain chemicals and cigarette smoking. The sulfur contained in many tobacco products can result in this type of cancer. This is because this substance irritates the lining of the bladder, making it more susceptible to the proliferation of free radicals.
For unknown reasons, females are at a lower risk for this disease than males. In addition, bladder malignancies affect more Caucasians than Asians or Africans. Again, there is no known reason for this phenomenon. Additionally, as individuals grow older, their risk of developing such conditions increases. This might be because the human immune system typically weakens as a person grows older. However, hereditary factors that do not surface until a person has reached a considerable age may be to blame as well.
Therapy for this kind of cancer includes radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical procedures. Biological therapies are also used in certain cases. The latter are techniques developed to enhance a person's own immune system, which can then effectively fight any cancerous growths present in his or her body. Additional studies are required to determine if this technique is effective, but preliminary studies have caused many researchers to be optimistic about this type of treatment.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on the stage of the cancer. If it is caught before it has invaded other organs, which is referred to as stage I, it is typically cured through surgery. Stage II malignancies refer to those that have invaded nearby organs. In this case, radiation is commonly given to the patient, or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, depending on the area to which the cells have metastasized. Stage III and stage IV tumors are usually treated with chemotherapy, or combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
For tumors that are superficial, and therefore considered low risk stage I malignancies, there is only a fifteen percent chance of recurrence. Interestingly, however, if they do recur, the disease is usually no more aggressive than it was initially. This means that if it was caught early and cured when it first occurred, this will probably be the outcome should it return in the future.
Additional bladder cancer research is currently being conducted to find more effective ways to both treat and prevent this disease. Although not a common condition, it can be deadly. Therefore, anyone experiencing the aforementioned symptoms should seek medical attention without delay.
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