There are many types of bladder cancer, but the most common types are urothelial cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma.

Urothelial cancer, or carcinoma, is the most common form of bladder cancer in the United States. It develops when the cells that form part of the innermost layer of the urinary bladder begin to develop abnormally and grow uncontrolled. Urothelial Cancer accounts for as much as 90% of all ladder cancer cases reported in the U.S. The remaining cases of bladder cancer are made up of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Like many other causes for cancer, medical research is yet to establish the exact cause of bladder cancer. Yet, smoking cigarettes has a large and direct impact on bladder cancer development, as well as prolonged exposure to chemicals, dyes in rubber and leather processing industries. High consumption of red meat and lack of water intake are also thought to contribute to bladder cancer.

Stages of bladder cancer

The bladder cancer staging depends on the size of the tumor and the extent of its progression, or metastasis in nearby tissues and organs. The stages of bladder cancer range from CIS to T4, which ranges from restriction to the innermost layer to other organs around the bladder, as follows:

• In the CIS stage, the bladder cancer is restricted only to the inner layers and is usually considered dormant, where it does not spread to other layers of the bladder.
• In the T1 stage, the cancer has spread beyond the muscular layer and into the tissues.
• In stage T2, the cancer has spread beyond the bladder wall’s muscular layer.
• In Stage T3, the cancer has spread to the fatty layers of the organ from the muscular layer. In Stage T4, the cancer has spread from the bladder to neighboring organs, including prostate or the uterus and even the pelvic wall.

Treatment options for bladder cancer

The treatment options for bladder cancer depend largely on the stage of the cancer and the  tumor size, for instance if the tumor is in the bladder wall or has spread beyond it. Other factors to consider are the patient’s overall health. In many cases, a combination of the following cancer treatments are recommended for bladder cancer:

1. Bladder cancer surgery

Surgery removes the early tumor, but new tumors can appear.

2. Intravesical therapy

Intravesical therapy is an option for patients with noninvasive or minimally invasive bladder cancer. This immunotherapy injects drugs directly into the bladder through a catheter.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemo injects cancer killing drugs into a vein or drugs are taken orally.

4. Radiation therapy

Kills cancer cells with intense x-rays.