Types Of Bladder Cancer Treatments
The bladder is the organ that holds an individual’s urine until they can go to the bathroom and get it out of their body. Bladder cancer is the form of cancer that begins in the bladder. It is the result of damage to the part of the bladder cells’ DNA that is responsible for cell growth and replication. Major causes behind bladder cancer are infections, exposure to radiation or chemicals, chronic bladder irritation, and tobacco use. Symptoms include back pain, pelvic pain, frequent urination, and blood in the urine.
Bladder cancer is incredibly painful to deal with. Like other forms of cancer, patients are often presented with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy for bladder cancer treatment. Since many of these options are harsh, there are many bladder cancer treatment side effects. This is why it is important to catch bladder cancer as early as possible.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy works by administering medications that target and attack any cells that are in the process of cell division or reproduction. It is very effective as cancerous cells multiply and divide rapidly. Unfortunately, chemotherapy also attacks healthy cells when they are dividing. This is part of what leads to the harsh side effects.
Chemotherapy is used to treat bladder cancer through one of two delivery methods. The first delivers the medication to the whole body. The other method has the chemotherapy medication delivered directly to the bladder by placing the medication in a catheter that is inserted into the bladder. This is possible because the bladder is hollow, which reduces the potential damage to other organs and tissues. It is, of course, limited to cases where cancer has not spread beyond the lining of the bladder.
Get information on how radiation therapy is used to treat bladder cancer next.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy for bladder cancer is the use of high energy rays that damage and kill the cancerous cells. This stops the affected cells from growing more. To be effective at treating bladder cancer, radiation therapy must be localized to the affected area.
Radiation therapy is typically paired with chemotherapy when it is treating bladder cancer. However, bladder cancer patients who cannot have surgery to remove their cancer will often receive radiation therapy as the primary treatment. In other cases, this treatment is intended to reduce the painful symptoms of bladder cancer rather than cure it.
Uncover a surgical method of treating bladder cancer next.
Transurethral Resection
A transurethral resection is used for cases of bladder cancer that have not spread beyond the inner layers of the bladder. In this surgery, the doctor will insert a long instrument into the patient’s urethra and bladder.
This instrument is called a cystoscope. It has a tiny wire loop on the end of it and uses an electric current to wipe out the cancerous cells. Thankfully, this surgery is not invasive and has a short recovery time. However, doctors typically recommend an injection of chemotherapy into the bladder after this surgery to make sure all of the cancerous cells are destroyed.
Discover a major surgery used to treat bladder cancer next.
Bladder Removal Surgery
Patients with bladder cancer may elect to have surgery to cure their condition. This involves either the partial or total removal of their bladder. Partial removal is only effective for cases with a single tumor located in a part of the bladder that won’t compromise its function when it is removed.
The total removal of the bladder is part of a radical cystectomy. This surgery also includes removing nearby lymph nodes and part of the ureters. Female patients undergoing this procedure will also have their ovaries, uterus, and part of their vagina removed. In men, this is the removal of their prostate and seminal vesicles.
Read about how bladder cancer is handled after surgery next.
Urinary Diversion
After total bladder removal surgery, patients with bladder cancer must undergo urinary diversion. This is a procedure where a new path for urine to leave the body is created. There are several methods of doing this. One is where the surgeon creates a neobladder using a piece of the patient’s intestine. This is the most common method used when it is possible, because it allows the patient to urinate normally, since the neobladder is placed into their body and is attached to their urethra.
Another option is using the patient’s intestine to make a tube known as an ileal conduit. This tube attaches to the kidneys and ureters and lets urine flow from there to a urostomy bag on the outside of the patient’s body. This bag must be emptied several times a day. The last method is a urinary reservoir, which makes a pouch out of the intestine. This pouch stays in the body and holds urine. However, it is attached to an opening to the abdomen. This is where a catheter must be used to empty it multiple times a day.
