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.