Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is on the rise as it becomes the ninth most common cancer in the world. Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than females. Bladder cancer begins with a mutation of normal urothelial cells in the lining of the bladder. The mutation causes cancerous cells to develop and multiply at a faster rate than normal cells would, forming a tumor. If the tumor is large enough, the cancerous cells can attach to surrounding blood vessels. The blood vessels on the tumor provide more blood supply, and the cancerous cells can go into the blood vessels to reach other parts of the body. This process is known as angiogenesis and is how cancer spreads to other parts of the body. The tumor can be benign or malignant. A benign tumor is a non-cancerous and cannot spread to other parts of the body. A bladder begin tumor is very rare. A malignant tumor is cancerous and can grow back, and spread to other parts of the body.

There are different classes and types of bladder cancers. Bladder cancer can be divided into a class based on the growth of the tumor into the bladder wall. The cancer is also classified into a group depending on which type of cancer it is.

Types of Bladder Cancers

Urothelial carcinoma/Transitional cell carcinoma: The most common type of bladder cancer and it begins in the urothelial cells in the bladder lining. It can also be found in other places in the urinary tract. There are two sub types; papillary carcinoma and flat carcinoma which are non-invasive. Papillary carcinomas grow towards the center of the bladder, and flat carcinomas don’t grow towards the center of the bladder.

Squamous cell carcinoma: Develops from squamous cells (flat cells) in the bladder lining. The tumor development is associated with chronic inflammation and irritation of the bladder.

Adenocarcinoma: Develops from glandular cells in the bladder, and makes up less than 2% of bladder cancers. There are several subtypes; mucinous, signet-ring and clear cell.

Classes of Bladder Cancers

Non-invasive: The cancer is only in the inner lining of the bladder

Non-muscle-invasive: The cancer has only grown into the lamia propria and not into the muscle

Muscle-invasive: The cancer has grown into the bladder’s wall muscle and into surrounding tissue outside the bladder

Stages of Bladder Cancer

The cancer cells may spread from their original location to other parts in the body. There are different stages of bladder cancer used to classify the progression of the cancer cells.

Stage 0: The cancer is only found on the inner lining of the bladder and has not invaded the muscle or connective tissue

Stage I: The cancer has grown in the inner lining of the bladder and in the lamina propria

Stage II: The cancer has grown into the muscle wall of the bladder and is now muscle-invasive cancer

Stage III:

Stage IIIA:

• The cancer has grown from the muscle of the bladder into the surrounding tissue and may have spread to reproductive organs
• The cancer has grown from the muscle of the bladder to one lymph node in the pelvis

Stage IIIB:

• The cancer has grown from the muscle of the bladder to more than one lymph node in the pelvis

Stage IV:

Stage IVA:

• The cancer has grown from the bladder to the wall of the pelvis or abdomen
• The cancer has grown to the lymph nodes

Stage IVB: The cancer has spread from the bladder to other parts of the body