Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer that occurs in the elderly. Men are four times more predisposed than women to harbor this malady. Approximately 17,000 out of the 80,000 people diagnosed each year with cancer bladder do not survive the disease.
Like any other cancer, urinary bladder cancer also has the same propensity to invade the wall of the bladder and eventually migrate out to other parts of the body leading to metastases. Risk factors are tobacco (in any form) usage, radiation, chronic infections and occupational exposure to certain chemicals like Benzidine. Preventive measures like plenty of oral fluids, green-yellow vegetables etc. have been proposed but not definitively proven yet, to be effective.
Diagnosis is primarily based upon visualization of the tumor by doing a simple office procedure called cystoscopy which means insertion of a small telescope through the urethra offering a conclusive diagnosis. Then, it is staged using modalities like ultrasound, CT scans etc. as modality of treatment is determined by the extent of involvement of the disease.
At an early stage it can safely be treated with endoscopic removal followed by regular follow for up to five years. Occasionally on presentation it is in an advanced stage requiring major surgery to remove the bladder and provide a diversion to the urine. Specialist onco-surgeons are capable of handling the situation at any stage of presentation. Fortunately, urologists like Dr. Sanjay Razdan are readily available to provide their services in this arena.
Dr. Sanjay Razdan is one of the most renowned Urologic Cancer Specialists in the United States. He has performed more than 9,000 cancer procedures successfully. Widely acclaimed for his exceptional results in cancer surgery, he has been instrumental in innovating advanced methods for achieving superior cancer controls in a variety of clinical scenarios.
If you have any of the risk factors enumerated above or have a suspicion of cancer bladder, Dr Razdan may be contacted by clicking here.