Bladder Cancer

Cancer can occur when normal cells undergo a system called mitosis the wrong way.
Mitosis is the process of duplication and replication of a cell that has to go a certain way for the
cell to be safe or normal. Cells in our body need to be replaced in a certain period of time. For
example red blood cells get replaced every one hundred and twenty days, but like the stomach
cells they need to be replaced every three days. When a cell has went through mitosis using the
wrong formula or system, the cell converts to a cancer cell, and that cancer cell keeps undergoing
mitosis until the cancer have spread around the body.

Organs effected

Bladder cancer, the bladder is an organ in the lower abdomen. It stores urine produced by
the kidneys. Bladder cancer cells affect the organs by spreading to the lymph nodes, other organs
in the pelvis (causing problems with kidney and bowel function), or other organs in the body,
such as the liver and lungs. (1)

Effects on the functions of systems

Of the different types of cells that form the bladder, the cells lining the inside of the
bladder wall are most likely to develop cancer. (2)

Symptoms?

All dieses have symptoms that indicate what sickness a person might have. Bladder cancer
symptoms are, (3)
o Blood clots in the urine
o Pain during urination
o Urinating small amounts frequently
o Frequent urinary tract infections.

Causes?
The exact cause of bladder cancer is not known, but there are many working possibilities.
Such as changes in the genetic material (DNA) of bladder cells may play a role. (3) Chemicals in
the environment. Also its twice as likely to develop in smokers as in non-smokers, and when the
lining of the bladder is irritated for a long time. Exposure to chemicals and other substances at
work. Including dyes, paints, leather dust, and othersmay also cause bladder cancer. (3)

Diagnose?
Bladder cancer can be hard to diagnose. There are many tests used to diagnose the
disease and see if it has spread. If you have any signs or symptoms that suggest you might have
bladder cancer, your doctor will want to take a complete medical history check for risk factors.
(4) A physical exam provides other information about possible signs of bladder cancer and
other health problems. The doctor might examine the rectum and vagina (in women) to feel for a
bladder tumor, determine its size, and to see if and how far it has spread. (4)
Treatments?
Bladder cancer is able to be treated completely, but this type of cancer seems to come back
later on in life. Having a medical check every four to six months would be a very healthy and
safe way to get on top of any disease ahead of time.
There are different ways of treating bladder cancer, and choosing which on might be the
hardest choice a person would ever make. The treatments are: (3)
o Surgery to remove the cancer. Surgery can usually remove these tumors. But bladder
cancer often comes back, so you may also get other treatments.
o Chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells using medicines.
o Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy
rays.
o Immunotherapy. This treatment causes your body's natural defenses, known as your
immune system, to attack bladder cancer cells.

Statistics related to bladder cancer
Important statistics all viewer should know about bladder cancer. (5)
o Bladder cancer occurs mainly in older people. About 9 out of 10 people with this cancer
are over the age of 55. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 73.

o About 74,690 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed (about 56,390 in men and 18,300 in
women).
o About 15,580 deaths from bladder cancer (about 11,170 in men and 4,410 in women).
o More than 500,000 people in the United States are bladder cancer survivors.
o Whites are diagnosed with bladder cancer almost twice as often as blacks.

Support groups
The most known support groups in North America are:

1. BCAN, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network
2. Bladder Cancer Canada
3. American Bladder Cancer Society
Facts
Some very educational facts are, (6)
o Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men.
o Bladder cancer is the 13th most common cancer in women
o Worldwide around 165,100 people were estimated to have died from bladder cancer.

References at the bottom





















References

1. emedicine health. Bladder cancer overview. California: San Clemente; 2003 [accessed 20
September 2014]. Available from:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/bladder_cancer/article_em.htm#bladder_cancer_overvi
ew

2. Cleveland Clinic. Bladder cancer. Ohio: Euclid Avenue; 1995 [accessed 20 September
2014]. Available from:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/urology-kidney/diseases-conditions/bladder-cancer

3. WebMD. Bladder cancer health centre: bladder cancer treatment overview. Atlanta:
Smyrna, GA 2005 [accessed 20 September 2014]. Available from:
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/bladder-cancer/bladder-cancer-treatment-overview

4. American Cancer Society. How is bladder cancer diagnosed? Hedgesville, WV; 2005
[accessed 20 September 2014]. Available from:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladdercancer/detailedguide/bladder-cancer-diagnosis


5. American Cancer Society. What are the key statistics of bladder cancer? Hedgesville,
WV; 2005 [accessed 21

September 2014]. Available from:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladdercancer/detailedguide/bladder-cancer-key-statistics


6. Cancer Research UK. Bladder cancer key facts. London: Angel Building; Sep 8 2014
[accessed 21 September 2014]. Available from:
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/keyfacts/bladder-cancer/uk-
bladder-cancer-statistics