Bladder cancer affects approximately 68,000 Americans each year in the United States, affecting men more often than women. At the Center for Advanced Urology & Robotics in Melbourne, Florida, urologist Dr. Bassem Eldaif screens, diagnoses and offers effective treatments for bladder cancer. Call the office to make an appointment or book yours online today.
Bladder cancer usually affects older adults but can strike at any age. Most commonly, cancer begins in the cells that line the inside of your bladder.
When diagnosed early, bladder cancer is highly treatable. However, you require continual follow-up even if you’re in remission because it can reoccur.
In the earlier stages, bladder cancer may not have any outward symptoms. The following symptoms are cause for concern:
These symptoms may also indicate other underlying health conditions, so make an appointment with Dr. Eldaif right away for an evaluation of your bladder and urinary tract.
Bladder cancer often occurs with no clear cause. The following increase your risk:
Having any of these risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll develop bladder cancer. They simply increase your chances of diagnosis.
If Dr. Eldaif suspects bladder cancer, he may recommend one or more of the following tests.
Cystoscopy is a common exam in which Dr. Eldaif inserts a small, narrow tube equipped with a camera into the urethra to examine the internal structures of the bladder.
During a biopsy, Dr. Eldaif collects a small number of cells from your bladder for testing.
For this simple test, you first provide a urine sample which is tested for the presence of cancerous cells.
Dr. Eldaif may recommend imaging tests such as a CT scan to examine the structure of your urinary tract.
Depending on the size and number of the bladder tumors found, Dr. Eldaif may perform either simple scraping or more aggressive resection of the tumor to precisely remove any cancerous tissue. He may also recommend BCG immunotherapy, which are weekly bladder flushing effective at preventing recurrence or progression of the cancer. He may also recommend a multidisciplinary approach with the oncologists for possible chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or investigational drugs as part of your treatment plan.
For more information about bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment, call the Center for Advanced Urology & Robotics.
