The bladder is the sac in which urine from the kidneys is stored until you urinate. It can stretch to hold over 400 millilitres of fluid, although the urge to pass urine happens before this limit is reached. Bladder tumours are growths originating in the inner lining of the bladder. They can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

What causes bladder tumours and who is at risk?

We do not know what causes bladder tumours. We do know that they are more than twice as common in men than in women. Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in men, and the tenth most common in women. It is most likely to appear between the ages of 50 to 70 years. Although the exact cause of bladder cancer is unknown, there are several factors that increase the chances of developing it:

Cigarette smoking,

Chronic bladder infections,

Exposure through work to strong chemicals such as benzidine and some dyes,

Treatment with chemotherapy such as cyclophosphamide.

How do doctors recognise bladder tumours?

Other tests may be performed to check whether a bladder tumour has spread to other parts of the body. These include:

blood tests to check liver and kidney function and to test for the presence of anaemia

a chest X-ray to check that the tumour has not spread to the lungs

on occasions, a CT scan of the abdomen to check for spread of the tumour to areas around the bladder

What is the treatment for bladder tumours?

Self-care action plan

The risk of bladder tumours can be decreased by changes in lifestyle. It is important to stop smoking, and to ensure that any infections of the urine are treated properly. People who work in the dye and rubber industries should make sure that preventative measures and regular employee checks are in place to screen for any bladder abnormalities.

Medicines and surgery

The treatment for bladder tumours depends on the type of tumour and its stage. Cancers that are caught early when they have not grown through the bladder wall can be cut away during cystoscopy. This is usually performed under a general anaesthetic, with the surgeon (urologist) passing the narrow instrument, called a cystoscope, down the urethra and into the bladder. Miniature surgical instruments can be passed down the cystoscope to allow the urologist to deal with the tumours. After the operation, a catheter will be inserted into the bladder to allow urine to drain. For the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, the catheter will also be used to wash out the bladder continuously to remove any debris.

What is the outcome of having bladder tumours?

If the tumour has not spread into the bladder wall and is removed by cystoscopy, the prognosis is good and 90 per cent of patients treated will still be alive after five years. Quality of life will be very good for these individuals, who can lead a normal life apart from regular check-ups. However, this figure drops if the cancer spreads. If it has extended through the full thickness of the bladder wall, there is a 30 to 40 per cent chance of surviving five years after treatment. If the cancer has spread beyond the bladder and into the surrounding areas, then the survival rate falls to around 10 per cent at five years.