Health A to Z Last updated on 2021-02-26 20:51:29

Blood in Urine? It Could Be Bladder Cancer

Dr. Sreelekha Daruvuri
2 Min Read
Fact Checked

Bladder cancer is the 4th most common cancer in men and the 8th most common cancer in women in India. 97% of the patients present with painless blood in the urine, and individuals are usually diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.

Risk Factors

Smoking is the most important and known causative of bladder cancer
Chemical exposure (water containing arsenic, dyes-aromatic amines, chloroanilines), chemotherapy(cyclophosphamide) and radiation
Urinary blood fluke Infections
Certain medications(high doses of pioglitazone) and herbal supplements
Not hydrating enough, Eating processed meat regularly
Race and Ethnicity-Caucasians are more likely to develop Cancers of the bladder
Age- 9 out of 10 individuals are over the age of 55
Chronic urothelial lining irritation- from frequent UTIs, stones, long term bladder catheters, etc
Cancers in other parts of the Urinary tract
Birth anomalies of the bladder like Patent Urachus, Exstrophy of the bladder
Inherited conditions- Cowden's disease, Retinoblastoma, Lynch Syndrome

Symptoms & signs

Blood in the urine Pink, orange, red or blood tinged urine can be noticed. Usually blood in the urine may not be found but detected incidentally in Urine Analysis tests, so it is important to get your urine checked regularly. Change in bladder habits

Having to urinate more often than usual
Pain or burning during urination
Feeling as if you need to go right away, even when your bladder isn't full
Having trouble urinating or having a weak urine stream
Having to get up to urinate many times during the night

Types of cancers

Urothelial carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma

Who treats bladder cancer? Urologists, Medical and Radiation Oncologists would guide you with the entire process. Treatment & management Early-stage bladder cancers can most often be removed. There is a good chance of recurrence, hence follow up is mandatory. Radical Cystectomy can alternatively be done to avoid this. Surgery along with a combination of medical therapy is usually the mainstay of treatment and would vary based on the staging of the disease. bladder cancer treatment mfine

Prognosis & prevention While different cancers have varied prognosis, bladder cancer when detected early has up to 95% 5 years survival rate. Preventive measures

Quitting smoking
Limiting exposure to chemicals and radiation
Drinking plenty of water
Consuming abundant fruits and vegetables

Request a Call Back

Consult a Urologist

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Dr. Sreelekha Daruvuri

Dr. Sreelekha Daruvuri, MBBS with 5+ yrs of experience working as a Primary care Physician on MFine. She initially worked with corporate hospitals and then as a resident in JIPMER for 2 years. She believes in a holistic approach to health care. She is also a public speaker, a blog writer and holds an interest in spreading awareness on health through digital media.