Bladder Cancer

One common form of cancer that arises in bladder cells is bladder cancer. Urine is stored in the bladder, a hollow muscular organ in your lower belly.

The cells (urothelial cells) that line the lining of your bladder are where bladder cancer generally develops. Your kidneys and the ureters that connect them to your bladder include urothelial cells. 

Although the kidneys and ureters can also acquire it, urothelial bladder carcinoma is far more typical.

Most bladder cancer cases are discovered early on or when they are still relatively curable. 

However, even early-stage bladder malignancies could come back after receiving treatment. To check for bladder cancer that returns, patients with bladder cancer frequently need to have follow-up exams for years following treatment.

Continue reading to learn more about bladder cancer and where to seek urgent care in Santa Fe, NM. 

Symptoms

Some symptoms and warning indicators of bladder cancer include:

Hematuria is when the urine may seem normal, but a lab examination reveals blood. Urine affected by hematuria may appear bright red or cola-colored.

Back pain and uncomfortable, frequent urination

When Should You Get Medical Help?

Plan a visit with your doctor to examine your urine if you notice it is dark and is concerned that it may contain blood. If you experience any further symptoms or alarming warning signs, schedule an appointment with your doctor at an urgent care center in Santa Fe, NM.

Causes

When bladder cells experience DNA changes (mutations), bladder cancer spreads. The DNA of a cell carries instructions that control how the cell behaves. The adjustments instruct the cell to multiply quickly and continue existing when healthy cells would. 

When the aberrant cells form a tumor, they might invade healthy body tissue and obliterate it. The aberrant cells may separate and disseminate (metastasize) throughout the body.

Bladder Cancer Types

Your bladder contains various cell types, some of which are malignant. The type of bladder cancer depends on the type of bladder cell where the disease first appears. These details help doctors decide on the course of action that could be best for you.

Here are the following bladder cancer subtypes:

• Urothelial Carcinoma: The cells lining the interior of the bladder can give rise to urothelial carcinoma, formerly known as transitional cell carcinoma. Your bladder’s urothelial cells swell when it is full and contract when it is empty. Since the lining of the urethra and ureters is made up of the same cells, cancer can potentially develop there. The most prevalent kind of cancer in the US is urothelial carcinoma.
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Chronic irritation of the bladder, such as that caused by an infection or by prolonged use of a urinary catheter, is linked to squamous cell carcinoma. In the US, squamous cell cancer is rare. It occurs more frequently in regions where schistosomiasis, an infection caused by a specific parasite, is a common cause of bladder infections.
• Adenocarcinoma: The cells that make up the bladder’s mucus-secreting glands give rise to adenocarcinoma. Bladder adenocarcinomas are comparatively uncommon.

Numerous cell types may be present in some cancers.

Risk Factors 

The risk of bladder cancer may rise as a result of the following factors:

• Smoking. By building up dangerous chemicals in your urine, smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes raises your risk of developing cancer. After being broken down by your body, some chemicals in cigarette smoke are expelled in urine. These dangerous drugs may injure your bladder’s lining, raising cancer risk.
• Advancing years. Cancer risk rises with age. Although cancer can strike anyone at any age, most cases strike people over 55.
• Sex. Bladder cancer is more common in men. 
• Bladder irritation over time. Squamous cell cancer risk may be increased by persistent or chronic urinary infections or inflammations (cystitis), such as those that may result from using a Urinary catheter for an extended period. Squamous cell cancer and persistent bladder inflammation have occasionally been connected to the parasite disease schistosomiasis.
• Family history of cancer. You have a higher chance of developing cancer again if you’ve already had it. Although it is uncommon for cancer to run in families, if a parent, sibling, child, or other close member has had the disease, your risk may be increased. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, often called Lynch syndrome, increases the chance of urinary system cancer and colon, uterine, ovarian, and other organ cancers (HNPCC).
• Exposure to specific chemicals. Moving dangerous substances from your bloodstream to your bladder is one of the most crucial tasks performed by your kidneys. As a result, it is believed that exposure to particular chemicals may raise the risk of cancer. Chemicals produced in dyes, rubber, leather, textiles, and paint products are related to an elevated risk of cancer. Arsenic is another.
• Prior chemotherapy for cancer. Cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy therapies increase the risk of cancer. Bladder cancer risk increases in people who have undergone pelvic radiation therapy for a previous malignancy.

Conclusion 

Bladder cancer is a serious medical condition that requires urgent care and prompt treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment are important for successful outcomes. Treatment options for cancer can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. It is important to seek medical care immediately if any symptoms of cancer are present. A physician can provide a course of treatment depending on the cancer stage and the individual’s overall health. With prompt and effective treatment from a walk-in clinic in Santa Fe, NM, cancer can be successfully managed.

Aspen Medical Center is a locally owned outpatient medical facility in Santa Fe and Espanola, NM, offering state-of-the-art primary care and urgent care services. Schedule an appointment for urgent care in Santa Fe, NM.