May is the month for raising awareness for Bladder cancer. This is 9^th most common cancers with an increasing number of new cases worldwide.  According to GLOBOCAN 2020, it is the 17th most common malignancy in India.

Bladder cancer is one of the types of cancer which occurs in the urinary bladder.  The bladder is a hollow muscular organ in our lower abdomen that stores and holds urine. Cancer starts in the urothelial cells lining the bladder and may spread up to ureters and kidneys.

TYPES OF BLADDER CANCER (BASED ON THE CELLS INVOLVED)

·         Urothelial carcinoma (Transitional cell carcinoma) [most common]

·         Squamous cell carcinoma

·         Adenocarcinoma

·         Small cell carcinoma

RISK FACTORS OF BLADDER CANCER:

  Prolonged UTI

 Age- Elderly people are more prone.

 Sex-Men are more prone than women.

 Exposure to certain chemicals

 Smoking

 Alcohol addiction

 Family history

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BLADDER CANCER:

 Blood in the urine

 Pain during micturition

 Frequent urination

Urine incontinence

Back pain

Tiredness

Weight loss

STAGES OF BLADDER CANCER:

Bladder cancer can be categorized into Muscle and Non-muscle based on the extent of the spread. Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is confined to the bladder lining while muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) spreads to the bladder muscle.

DIAGNOSIS OF BLADDER CANCER:

·         Urine RE and CS

·         Imaging scans

·         Cystoscopy

PREVENTION OF BLADDER CANCER:

If detected in early stages, the bladder cancer is highly treatable. To reduce the chances of risk, one must follow:

ü     Avoidance of tobacco (smoking/oral)

ü     Avoidance of alcohol

ü     Start healthy  balanced diet

ü     Keep check on recurrent UTI

ü     Cautious with chemicals

TREATMENT OF BLADDER CANCER:

 Bladder removal surgery (Cystectomy)

 Radiation therapy

 Chemotherapy

Targeted therapy

 Immunotherapy

At D.S. Research Centre, we are dedicated to bringing care, awareness, and hope to all the cancer fighters and survivors. By combining the wisdom of Ayurveda with modern awareness efforts, we aim to ensure every milestone in the fight against cancer will be worth the effort.