Bladder Cancer Treatment
Bladder cancer is a health condition when malignant tumors start growing in the urinary bladder. These abnormal cells multiply without any control in the bladder. The treatment of bladder cancer is done depending upon the depth the tumor enters into the bladder wall. There are ways that are employed to treat this disease, and different techniques are used to treat bladder cancer, depending upon the stage of the disease.
One of the very common techniques to treat bladder cancer is surgery. Different types of surgical techniques are used for the purpose. Transurethral resection (TUR) is a surgery in which a a thin lighted tube is inserted into the bladder through the urethra, and a tool with a small wire loop on the end is then used to remove the cancer or to burn the tumor away with high-energy electricity (fulguration). Other surgical techniques like radical cystectomy and segmental cystectomy are also used where either the entire cancer affected bladder is removed from the body (former) or just a part of the bladder is removed (latter).
One of the most studied and commonly prescribed way for bladder cancer treatment is to introduce an agent called BCG into the cancer affected bladder. This immunotherapeutic agent (BCG) stimulates an immune response or cause inflammation of the bladder wall that destroys cancer cells within the bladder. This technique is employed to treat stage 0 and I bladder cancer but is used most commonly to prevent the bladder cancer from returning. BCG is most often used after cancer has been removed from the bladder using TUR surgery.
One more type of cancer treatment used to cure bladder cancer is radiation therapy. Generally, high energy x-rays or other strong radiations are exposed to the cancer cells to kill them. While external radiation therapy technique uses some machine outside the body to target the cancer cells, internal radiation therapy technique places radioactive materials directly near target cancer cells through means like needles, seeds, wires etc.
Chemotherapy is a technique that makes use of chemical drugs for treating bladder cancer. Chemotherapy is given by two ways - one where the drug is taken by mouth or injected into the body, and the other where the chemical drug is placed directly into the bladder. In former case, the drug flows with the body fluids and reaches the cancer affected bladder. The drug after reaching the target place either kills the cancerous cells or stop the cells from dividing.
The facility of treatment for bladder cancer is available in many hospitals around the United States. Cancer Treatment Centers of America is a network of cancer treatment hospitals and facilities, having their centers at Philadelphia (PA), Zion (IL), Tulsa (OK) and Goodyear (AZ). MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas is a place that is involved in research and treatment of bladder cancer. Apart from these locations, there are several other cancer treatment centers that offer the treatment for bladder center.
One of the most critical illnesses that we find on earth and which unfortunately has now become a very common disease is cancer. This is a very worrisome illness and many people are affected by it. Some may survive with the treatment provided but several others may do the treatment in vain and in fact several deaths are registered. Cancer can attack any part of the human body.
Bladder cancer refers to any of several types of malignant growths that affect the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine and it is located in the pelvis.
The signs and symptoms that a person may be suffering from a bladder cancer is usually when the person notices blood in the urine. This is one of the signs that are easily visible and noticed. At such a point a person needs to immediately consult a doctor.
Another possible sign is when a person feels unusual pain during urination, or else when a person feels the need to urinate frequently. Another common symptom of bladder cancer is when one has a feeling of the need to urinate but without actually managing to do so. Bladder cancer can also be traceable by microscopes.
However one has to note that these signs and symptoms are not solely caused by a bladder cancer, as they may also be registered due to non-cancerous conditions, such as prostate infections and cystitis.
Bladder cancer can be caused by many factors including most predominantly tobacco smoking. In fact smoking is associated with more than the half of bladder cancer cases around the world. There is a linear relationship between smoking and cancerous growth risks, hence if one tries to quit smoking it may greatly help in reducing the risk of cancerous growths including bladder cancer.
Through medical studies and research it has been found that bladder cancer affects men mostly. One type of treatment of bladder cancer is to make it a point to drink at least one and a half liters of water a day. This will also help to reduce the incidence of such cancerous growth.
It has also been concluded that bladder cancer might in part be caused by the bladder directly being in contact with carcinogens. These are exerted in urine. For this reason bladder tumors probably result from occupational exposure to these carcinogens in working environments and other routine settings.
Occupations which might have a greater risk incidence for employees who are exposed to this include metal industry workers, rubber industry workers, workers in the textile industry, auto mechanics and people who work in printing.
Also hairdressers are thought to be at risk as well because of their frequent exposure to permanent hair dyes. A study concluded that fruit and vegetables may act to reduce the risk of bladder cancer and they are seen as a basic type of treatment.
The treatment of bladder cancer depends on how deep the tumor invades into the bladder wall. Superficial tumors, which refers to those tumors which do not enter the muscle layer can be minimized and hopefully totally combated by using a specialized treatment. Superficial bladder cancer treatment involves an electrocute device attached to a cyst scope. Then, Immunotherapy in the form of BCG instillation is also used to treat and put off the risk of reappearance of such superficial bladder tumors.
BCG immunotherapy is not always effective. It seems to work in up to 2/3 of the cancer cases which are found at this stage. Bladder cancer chemo treatment or more commonly known as Chemotherapy is also used in some more intense cases. Bladder cancer treatment side effects are quite several and problematic. That is why we need to do regular tests to see if every thing is OK medically speaking.
