Symptoms

Bladder cancer is a common cancer in Hong Kong. There are about 400 new cases in a year, with obviously more male patients than female patients. The ratio is 3:1 and it is common among people aged between 55 and 70. If bladder cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the prognosis is good, but bladder cancer is particularly easy to recur. For this reason, those who have recovered need to go for follow-up checks regularly.

What is Bladder Cancer?
The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. When the process of cell growth inside the lining of the bladder goes wrong, bladder cancer may be caused.

Most of the bladder tumours are like small mushrooms, appearing first in the innermost layer of the bladder, called nipple tumours. After some period, they will spread to the muscular wall of the bladder and other parts of the body.

Who are at risk of Bladder Cancer?

• Smoking
  The chance of smokers getting bladder cancer is 2 to 3 times higher than that of non-smokers.
• People having frequent contact with chemicals
  People who work in the rubber, chemical, dyeing, paints, leather & printing industries are at risk. People who often use hair dyes also fall in this category.
• People with frequent cystitis
  People with bladder problems or cystitis stand a higher chance of getting bladder cancer.
• Family history
  People with family members who have a bladder cancer are more likely to get the disease.
• Gender
  Males

How to prevent Bladder Cancer?

• Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoking

• To eat fresh food rather than preserved food or food with preservatives

• To drink more water

• To eat more fruit and green vegetables

• To avoid contacting dyes and organic solutions

• Preventive measures for whom working in textile, dyeing, leather, chemical, agricultural and printing industries, such as wearing gloves, masks and reain shoes, etc.

What are the causes of Bladder Cancer?

There are no known causes for bladder cancer, but it is found that absorbing cancer causing materials for a long time is one of the causes. Materials include chemicals in cigarettes. After those materials undergo metabolism inside the body, some will be excreted through the urine. and the bladder membrane will be in contact with them, which cause abnormal cell growth inside the bladder.

Furthermore, in places where Schistosomiasis (a kind of parasite causing cystitis) prevails, the cases of bladder cancer are more. Frequent consumption of preserved food or food with nitrite enhances the risk of getting bladder cancer.

Can symptoms of Bladder Cancer be recognized easily?

Some of the symptoms of bladder cancer are identical to those of cystitis, bladder stone or kidney stone, and the commonest symptoms are haematuria. This may not cause pain and in the early stage, it may occur every now and then. When the situation worsens, there may be blood clods in the urine, making one feel pain when one urinates or causing one unable to urinate. Should the tumour erode the neck of the bladder, the patient will develop urinary frequency and have difficulty in urinating or will feel the urinating being blocked.