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Bladder cancer is cancer that starts in the bladder. Bladder cancer can appear in two forms - wart-like appearances with a stalk called papillary tumors and non-papillary or sessile tumors that are generally uncommon but more invasive.The main symptoms of bladder cancer that you should look out for are:

• Blood in the urine
• Painful urination
• Frequent urination
• Incontinence
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain

Some of these symptoms are generic in nature. Therefore, it becomes important to consult a doctor if you encounter or notice any of these symptoms. The prognosis of bladder cancer is usually not very good.

Though early-stage bladder cancer is completely treatable, the chances of the cancer recurring are also very high.The causes of bladder cancer have not been completely identified. Like all cancers, exposure to tobacco, to radiation and to chemicals is known to cause bladder cancer.

Risk factors like advancing age, being a man or being a Caucasian, or regularly smoking, pt you in the high risk category of being affected by bladder cancer. Chronic bladder infections, a family history of cancer or even a previous incident with bladder cancer makes you more susceptible to get bladder cancer. Bladder cancer has four stages; it begins with the first stage where there are tumors in the lining of the organ and progresses to stage four, where the disease has metastasized to different organs, including lymph nodes. Typically surgery is the first stage of cancer treatment. The aim of bladder cancer surgery is remove the cancer without removing the organ.There are different options when surgery for bladder cancer is considered.

• Part of the bladder tissue that has cancerous cells is removed through the urethra. This surgery is called transurethral resection of the bladder.
• Partial or complete removal of the bladder for patients in stage two or three of bladder cancer. This is called radical cystectomy.

Sometimes bladder cancer surgery is followed by a combination of radiation and chemotherapy to ensure all cancer cells are located and destroyed. The patient is also occasionally given surgical alternates to replace the bladder. This surgery is considered as a reconstructive surgery after a bladder removal surgery. In such cases, surgeons create a pouch where the bladder used to be, in order to collect urine. Bladder cancer surgery recovery will depend on the extent of the spread of the cancer and the surgery that is needed. Some immediate side effects like bleeding, swelling, discomfort and pain are seen. In case of bladder removal, recover takes longer. There could be some complications post bladder cancer surgery. These complications include

• Incontinence
• Anemia or excessive bleeding
• Blockage of urine
• Lack of erection in men
• Possible chances of post-operative scarring and nerve damage

If the transurethral resection is repeated numerous times, there could be incidents of incontinence and scarring of the bladder. After your initial surgery and treatment for bladder cancer, you need follow exact instructions about follow-up care. Some of these include:

• Regular scans including bone scans to check if cancer has returned, especially in some other organ or system. Recurrence of bladder cancer is very common in cancer patients so regular check-ups are a must.
• Checking for symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, decreased bladder function and increased pain
• Detailed bladder exams every 6 months
• Urine analysis if your bladder has not been removed

If bladder cancer has been detected within stage three, the chances of complete recovery are completely possible. If the cancer is detected at stage four, surgery is ruled out as treatment and chemotherapy and radiation are considered as treatment options.

Reference

• http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/bladder
• Sanjeev Kotwal, Ananya Choudhury, Colin Johnston, Alan B. Paul, Peter Whelan, Anne E. Kiltie, Similar Treatment Outcomes for Radical Cystectomy and Radical Radiotherapy in Invasive Bladder Cancer Treated at a United Kingdom Specialist Treatment Center, International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, Volume 70, Issue 2, 1 February 2008, Pages 456-463, ISSN 0360-3016, 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.06.030.
• http://ephtracking.cdc.gov/showCancerBladderEnv.action