The term 'Cancer' makes a person freeze the moment they hear it for the first time, and one such type of cancer is bladder cancer. While this may look scary, its timely diagnosis can help in managing and treating it. Each stage has its severity level, so its treatment requires a different plan with a step-by-step approach. This article uncovers how the treatment strategy varies as the cancer grows and how executing the right plan at the right time can help battle bladder cancer effectively.
What is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer, a prevalent type of cancer that affects the urinary system, starts from the tissues of the bladder (urine-storing organ). According to an online database, GLOBOCAN 2020, bladder cancer ranks 17 in incidence and 19 in mortality in India.
According to Dr. Gundu Naresh Consultant Medical Oncologist and Hemato-Oncologist, Aster Prime Hospital Hyderabad, “Urothelial carcinoma, the most common type of bladder cancer, contributes to 90% of bladder cancer cases in industrialized countries. This type commonly affects older adults, with smoking, exposure to chemicals, and chronic bladder inflammation being the prime risk factors involved.”
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The Stages of Bladder Cancer
Bladder Cancer progresses from Stage 0 to Stage 4 with increasing severity as it grows. Let us understand each stage in more detail.
- Stage 0: In this stage, cancer is restricted to the inner layer of the bladder lining, or very early high-grade cancer cells can be present there.
- Stage 1: A slightly more severe stage where cancer grows into the connective tissue underneath the bladder lining.
- Stage 2: This stage is characterized by cancer spreading into the muscles of the bladder wall.
- Stage 3: Here, the cancer has spread from the muscles to the fat layer and spreads to the prostrate, womb and vagina.
- Stage 4: A severe stage of bladder cancer where cancer leaves its impact on the tummy wall, between the hips, and on other vital body parts like the bones, liver, or lungs.
Stage-wise treatment approach for bladder cancer
Factors such as the cancer's stage, grade, size, number, and risk level determine the treatment strategy that will be used for bladder cancer. Let's look at the different treatment choices for bladder cancer at each stage.
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Stage 0 and Stage 1: In these stages, cancer has not spread to the muscle layers of the bladder. The first treatment approach for people at this stage of bladder cancer is surgical removal of the tumour. If this surgery cannot remove enough tumours or fails to give a sample from the muscle layer, the surgery might be repeated. Sometimes Stage 0 and Stage 1 cancer come back after the surgery, due to which most people receive chemotherapy or BCG (a type of immunotherapy) directly delivered into the bladder.
Stage 2 and Stage 3: These stages of cancer are treated in two ways. Initial treatment involves surgical removal of the bladder, surrounding tissues and organs(varies with case). It is then followed by making a new path for urine, termed as urinary diversion.
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Stage 4: The treatment strategies in this stage depend on whether the cancer is spread locally or is widespread, for which chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and urinary diversion remain the treatment options.
Bladder cancer can be challenging, but knowing its stage helps in understanding why a particular treatment is being recommended by your doctor. This stage-wise approach allows patients and doctors to work together to take effective steps toward better outcomes and hope for recovery.