Bladder Cancer
Overview
- Fourth most common cancer among men.
- Ninth most common cancer among women.
- More than 50,000 new cases of bladder cancer are detected each year.
- Can be treated without major surgery.
- Early detection is vital.
- The earliest clue of a bladder tumor is blood in the urine.
Detecting bladder cancer
- Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) is a test that allows the urologist to see images of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
- Cystoscopy allows the urologist to view the lining of the bladder and remove tissue samples for biopsy.
- Urinary cytology is where the urine is viewed under a microscope to search for cancer cells.
Treatment of bladder cancer
- Superficial: located in the bladder lining (epithelium), treated with tumor removal; medication in bladder.
- Invasive: cancer in the epithelium and extending into deeper layers; treated with removal of the bladder, chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is more frequently used in Europe than in the U.S.
- Metastatic (cancer has spread): Spreading beyond the bladder (lymph nodes, liver, lungs, etc.); treated with chemotherapy.
Urologic Oncologists
Marc Dall'Era, M.D.
Acting Chair and Professor
Thenappan (Thenu) Chandrasekar, M.D.
Associate Professor
Schedule an appointment
To make an appointment, whether a new or returning patient, with a urologic oncologist please call the UC Davis Cancer Center appointment line at (916) 734-5959.