The bladder cancer warning sign that can be mistaken for common health condition
14.02.2024 - 22:47
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Bladder cancer is one of the more common forms of the disease and one of its red flag warning signs can often be mistaken for another, less serious health condition.
Like all cancers, early detection is key in order to receive proper treatment. As such, people should remain vigilant if they suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIS) as it can be something more serious.
UTIs occur in any part of the urinary system including the bladder, kidneys and urethra. Its other symptoms include a constant need to urinate and pain when doing so - both of which occur with bladder cancer.
As UTIs and bladder cancer share symptoms, bladder cancer can be challenging to diagnose, Wales Online reports. Around 10,300 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK every year, according to Cancer Research UK and It's the 11th most common cancer in the UK, and the eighth most common cancer in men.
There can be different types of bladder cancer, once it’s diagnosed it can be classified by how far it has spread. If the cancerous cells are contained inside the lining of the bladder, it’s described as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, or early bladder cancer, according to the NHS.
When the cancerous cells spread beyond the bladder’s lining and into the surrounding muscle, it’s referred to as muscle-invasive bladder cancer or invasive bladder cancer. According to the NHS, this type is less common, but has a higher chance of spreading to other parts of the body.
For anyone whose cancer has spread beyond the bladder, it’s known as advanced or metastatic bladder cancer. Read below for a full list of symptoms and potential causes.
According to Cancer Research UK, the main symptom experienced by people diagnosed with bladder cancer is blood in the