Cancer Information Tips :: Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Bladder Cancer Symptoms: The Signs, Symptoms and Risks Associated with Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer symptoms are basic – blood in the urine and a sudden change in urination habits. So, why are so many instances of the disease going undiagnosed?
Approximately 54,300 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year and over 12,000 people die of the disease. It is the sixth most common cancer in the country and though the five-year survival rate sits at an impressive 81 percent, the chances for full recovery are dramatically improved if the disease is caught early.
This is why understanding and detecting bladder cancer symptoms is so critical. To learn more about the different symptoms associated with the disease, along with possible risk factors – keep reading.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Blood in the Urine: Blood in the urine is the single more important sign of bladder cancer. This symptom may also be associated with other diseases such as kidney cancer or gall stones, but is most common in bladder cancer.
Change in Urination Habits: Patients often complain of feeling an almost constant need to urinate, an urgency that's accompanied by frequent urination. This can be a sign of bladder cancer, along with urinary incontinence.
Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
Smoking: Smokers are more than twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers. Smoking causes about half of the deaths from bladder cancer among men and over 30% of bladder cancer deaths in women.
Cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke are absorbed from the lungs and get into the blood where they are filtered by the kidneys and concentrated in the urine.
Occupational Exposure: Industrial chemicals known as aromatic amines, like beta-napthylamine and benzidine, which are sometimes used in the dye industry, can be a contributing factor for bladder cancer.
Other industries that use organic chemicals can also put workers at an increased risk – for example, rubber makers, leather factories, textiles and paint and printing companies.
Race: Bladder cancer is twice as common in Caucasians than African Americans.
Age: The risk for developing bladder cancer increases with age. The average age for those diagnosed with the disease is around 68 years old. Meanwhile, less than 1% of bladder cancer patients are under the age of 40.
Chronic Bladder Problems: Patients who have a long-term history of kidney stones, urinary infections, bladder stones or other forms of chronic bladder irritation may be at an increased risk for developing bladder cancer.
If you have been exposed to or belong to any of the above risk factors or categories, it's critical that you understand and watch out for bladder cancer symptoms like blood in the urine or sudden changes in your urination habits.
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CancerInfoTips.com :: Bladder Cancer Symptoms