Types Of Bladder Cancer Treatments

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.