Because the bladder holds urine produced by the kidneys, the warning signs of bladder cancer usually relate to urination. Urine is made in the kidneys and moves down the ureters to the bladder, which then stores the urine to allow for an infrequent, controlled urination.
Blood in urine
The earliest warning sign of bladder cancer is blood in urine, also called hematuria. The blood may be present in the urine regularly or appear sporadically over the course of days or weeks. Plus, it may change the color of urine to orange, pink or dark red—though sometimes there may be no apparent urine color change.
Blood in urine is a critical sign of the cancer because early-stage bladder cancer does not often cause pain or other symptoms except bleeding. In fact, bladder cancer is usually diagnosed after patients tell their doctor about having urine in their blood.
Gross hematuria is when blood is present in urine in such a large quantity that the patient can see it. But sometimes, there may be microscopic hematuria, whereby the blood is present is such a small amount that it can’t be seen by the naked eye, though can be detected by a urine test.
Nevertheless, blood in urine is not always an indicator of bladder tumor. It could be due to other less serious conditions, such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, kidney stones, kidney disease, or non-cancerous tumors. Plus, in women, blood from menstruation may appear in urine and could cause a false-positive test result.
Urinary symptoms
While changes in urination are often a sign of less serious conditions, such as urinary tract infections, overactive bladder, benign tumor, bladder stones, or in men, an enlarged prostate, they may also be an early warning sign of bladder cancer.
Urinary symptoms that may indicate bladder cancer include:
- Pain or burning sensation during urination
- Frequent urination
- Nocturia—having to urinate many times throughout the night
- Feeling the urge to urinate even when the bladder is not full
- Having the urge to urinate, but being unable to pass urine
- Weak urine stream
- Lower back pain, often on one side of the body
When experiencing these changes, it is advisable to speak with your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will do a medical exam and order specific tests to help identify the cause of the symptoms. The doctor will also be able to rule out the cancer or run further tests to diagnose the cancer so that you are put on early treatment.
Advanced bladder cancer warning signs
Not everyone with early-stage bladder cancer will have symptoms. In some people, the first warning signs appear when the cancer has already grown too big or has spread beyond the bladder.
Warning signs of advanced bladder cancer include:
- Pelvic pain
- Lower back pain, usually on one side
- Fatigue or general body weakness
- Inability to urinate
- Swelling of the feet
- Bone pain
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
For bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, the symptoms typically depend on the affected organ. For instance, if the cancer has spread to the lungs, it may produce shortness of breath or persistent coughing.
Equally, if the cancer has spread to the liver, it may cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) and abdominal pain. And if the cancer has spread to bones, it may lead to bone pain or a broken bone (fracture).
Timely diagnosis and treatment
If you are having blood in urine, urinary symptoms or other disturbing changes, speak with your doctor about them. The doctor will seek to establish how long, how severe, and how often you have been experiencing the symptoms.
Together with performing a physical examination and ordering lab tests, the doctor will try to figure out the problem. If bladder cancer is suspected, your doctor will request for further tests to confirm the diagnosis.
For more information on bladder cancer, its signs and symptoms, risks and prevention, and diagnosis and treatment, visit the site “St Pete Urology.”
