How to Diagnose Bladder Cancer

Among the fastest growing burden of non-communicable diseases, is cancer. It cuts across all ages, is painful with no specific drugs to cure it. There are many types of cancers and are named according to where they affect and whether they spread or not. One that attracts much attention today is the bladder cancer due to its ability to lead to several other cancers and affect ones health considerably.

What Is Bladder Cancer?

Bladder is the pocket that is used to store urine while waiting for excretion. This function is altered when the cells lining it become dangerous and multiply causing degenerative function to the next muscles and even organs.

Who Is Affected

Being the 7th most cancer, 10,000 people are diagnosed with it every year with numbers varying from country to country. It is diagnosed more in men than women and on older adults than the young ones. It has also been found predominant in adults aged 75 and above. It is rarely found in children unless genetically passed.

What Cause It?

Exact cause of bladder cancer is yet to be known. Sciences only explains that it is caused when the DNA of the cells lining it change, divide and multiply and fail to die. Although other factors have been identified, none can surely prove they are 100% causative agents of bladder cancer. These are: cigarette smoking, getting chemical exposure, some medicines like for diabetes, taking large amount of fried meats and frequent radiation on the pelvic region.

How to Diagnose

You will notice blood in the urine

Otherwise known as bloody urine, it is normally the first linkage to cancer of the bladder but not always. The blood excreted can be pink, orange or dark red in color and appear and disappear. The best option is to get check up.

Bladder changes

You may notice changes in the pattern of emptying your bladder for example, passing urine more than usual, feeling pain when doing it or having trouble to urinate. This may present jointly as UTI but get confirmed diagnosis from the doctor.

Pain at the lower back

One may feel distant pain from the lower back.

loss of appetite and consequential weight loss

One doesn’t feel like eating no matter the hunger.

Edema

Swelling in the upper and lower limbs.

And sometimes a sharp pain in the bone

Again many of the symptoms above can signify something different about bladder and other organs like kidneys. Always aim at checking out through lab tests what they really are. Cancer can be managed and even be got rid of if diagnosed early enough.