Every year 11,500 new cases of bladder tumor are diagnosed in Spain

Bladder tumor is the fifth most frequently diagnosed tumor in our country. The bladder tumor is produced by the uncontrolled proliferation of a group of mucosal cells (transitional cells).

The tumor may be confined to the mucosa or may infiltrate the next layer, the muscle. The most common clinical sign of bladder cancer is bleeding in the urine, although tumors do not always produce enough blood to be observed by a patient.

When this occurs, it is recommended to visit the urologist to perform the appropriate tests, the most common being:

  • Renal, bladder, prostate ultrasound: used to visualize the urinary system in a non-invasive way.
  • Urinary cytology: investigates the presence of malignant cells in the urine.
  • Cystoscopy: consists of visualizing the bladder walls and urethra with a camera.
  • CT urography: radiological test that allows a very precise evaluation of the urinary tract, lymph nodes and other adjacent organs.

The factors that can favor the appearance of a bladder tumor are:

  • Tobacco
  • Exposure to gasoline, dyes or paint
  • Radiotherapy performed on other pelvic organs (prostate, cervix, colon, etc.).
  • Genetic predisposition

When a bladder tumor is diagnosed, it is important to determine whether the cancer has a low grade or a high degree of malignancy. Low-grade tumors are generally limited to the superficial layers of the bladder but have a tendency to recur (recur), while high-grade tumors can also recur, although the characteristic that makes them frightening is the ability to invade deep layers of the bladder (infiltrating bladder tumor) and send tumor cells to other organs.

Treatment

The treatment of a superficial bladder tumor (low or high grade) consists of its resection by endoscopic transurethral route, i.e. without the need for a surgical incision.

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Treatment of infiltrating bladder tumors, on the other hand, consists of excision of the entire bladder and its lymph nodes. When the bladder is removed, it is necessary to construct a new pathway for the body to store and eliminate urine by constructing a “new bladder” with part of the bowel (urinary neobladder) or by creating an external pouch (extracorporeal urinary diversion).