One of the most common cancers worldwide, bladder cancer is growing more in developed countries. With the data being 1.3 out of 1000 males and 0.3 out of 1000 females, the cancer is characterised with risk factors like smoking, number of age, occupational exposure, gender type, chronic inflammation in bladder and a family history of the same. In this blog, we will discover and learn about types of bladder cancer along with various techniques of diagnosis and prevention steps. Read ahead to enlighten yourself with the facts and not any myths, to gain control effectively. 

 

Types of Bladder Cancer

 

Bladder cancer can be divided into four main types of cancers-

 

1. The cancer that is linked to smoking, arises in urothelium and is known as the transitional cell carcinoma.
2. The cancer that occurs after a chronic infection or inflammation in the bladder is known as squamous cell carcinoma.
3. The cancer that is linked to urachal remnants and grows from the glandular tissue, known as adenocarcinoma.
4. The cancer that affects the neuroendocrine cells in the bladder, known as the small cell carcinoma and often found to be the most aggressive type with limited solutions.

 

With that being stated, let us now know diagnosis methods for bladder cancer. 

 

Diagnosing Bladder Cancer

 

Identification of bladder cancer can be done with the help of following methods-

 

1. Symptoms, signs and risk factors are assessed with the help of medical history and physical examination.
2. Abnormal cells or blood is detected with the help of urine tests.
3. Visualisation of blood and assessment of tumour extent is done with the help of imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scans, MRI tests and more.
4. Precise and accurate cancer identification is done with the help of biopsy. 

 

Managing Bladder Cancer

 

Treating and managing bladder cancer can be divided into three following categories-

 

1. Laparoscopic Surgeries: Advantages include limited and shorter hospital stays, faster recovery and minimal invasiveness. 
2. Robotic-Assisted Surgeries: Benefits include improved precision, reduced blood loss and limited recovery times in comparison to traditional open surgeries. 
3. Other Treatment Options: 

 

1. 1. Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour (TURBT)

• Immunotherapy

1. Targeted therapy 
2. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) 
3. Chemotherapy
4. Radiation therapy
5. Medications 

 

How to Prevent Bladder Cancer?

 

Some of the best and most common strategies to prevent bladder cancer include-

 

1. Quitting smoke: Smoking is one of the most common causes of bladder cancer. Reducing or avoiding smoking can decrease the chances of the same effectively.
2. Limiting radiation: Reducing exposure to ionising radiation like certain medical procedures can help you decrease the chances of bladder cancer to a huge extent.
3. Maintain a healthy diet: Having a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help you avoid any type of cancers effectively.
4. Stay away from chemicals: Harmful and harsh chemicals used in industries like dyes, rubber and more should be avoided to decrease the risk of bladder cancer.
5. Regular check-ups: Going for timely check-ups can help you stay healthy and take the right steps to improve your health even better effectively. 

 

Conclusion

 

Bladder cancer awareness is important to dodge the cancer effectively. An understanding of the importance of potential risks along with early detection (if occurs) can help in managing the disease well. Prioritise preventive steps like maintaining a good diet, reducing smoking, going for regular check-ups and more can help an individual stay healthy and free from the disease significantly.