Bladder Cancer Treatments in Smithfield NC

No matter what type of cancer it is – the process of formation is the same in all types of cancer. A quick and brief explanation would be that the body’s natural cell cycle is that new cells will form, therefore allowing old cells to die. In the case of cancer, some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping, or dying, and begin to spread into the surrounding tissues.

Cancer can start nearly anywhere inside the human body, since the human body is made up of trillions of different cells. Normally, the human cell cycle consists of cells growing and multiplying to form new cells as the body requires them. When cells grow old or become damaged in any way, they die, and the new cells that are formed will take their place.

But however, when this organized process begins to slow down or stop completely, cancer can form anywhere in the body. As these cells become more and more unusual, old and or damaged cells survive in the cases in which they should die, and new cells will form in the cases in which they are not needed. These extra cells will divide without stopping and will eventually form abnormal growths that are called tumors.

In the majority of cases, bladder cancer often begins in the cells that are in the lining of the inside of the bladder. This is the area that is very hollow and is also a muscular organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. Although the development of cancer is the most common in the bladder, this same type of cancer is also able to develop in other areas of the urinary tract drainage system.

There are multiple signs of the development of bladder cancer in a person. Bladder cancer signs and symptoms can include some, or all, of the following:

– Blood in urine, medically referred to as hematuria
– Pain while urinating
– Pelvic pain

If you have blood present in your urine (hematuria), your urine may appear to be bright red or a brownish color. In some cases, urine may not appear to be any different, but however, any presence of blood in the urine may be detected by a medical professional during a microscopic exam of the patients’ urine. People with bladder cancer may also experience these symptoms, but however, should not be the primary source of pain for the reason being that these symptoms can be caused by something other than bladder cancer:

– Back pain
– Frequent urination

There is a variety of treatment options for bladder cancer, however, they also have risk factors and other factors to take into consideration before proceeding. Some of these factors include the specific type of cancer the patient has, the grade of cancer, the stage of cancer, and along with the overall health of the patient who has bladder cancer. Once these factors are taken into consideration, the treatment options that may be offered include one, or a combination of the following:

– Surgery: To remove all of the cancerous tissue
– Chemotherapy in the bladder: To treat tumors that are only present in the lining of the bladder, but happen to have a high risk of recurrence or progression
– Reconstruction: Doctors will create a new way for urine to exit the body after the bladder is removed
– Chemotherapy for the whole body: This treatment option increases the chances of a person fully recovering.
– Radiation therapy: This treatment option will kill cancer cells. This treatment is offered when surgery is not an option or when the patient doesn’t desire surgery.
– Immunotherapy: This therapy triggers the body’s immune system to combat the cancer cells.