• What is bladder cancer?
• Early signs and symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis and tests
• Stages
• Treatment overview
• Risk factors
• Prevention
• Treatment at GenesisCare
• FAQs

Bladder cancer starts with abnormal cell changes in the inner lining of the bladder. The bladder is located in the lower abdomen behind the pubic bone and its main function is to store urine.

At early stages, the cancer is contained inside the bladder lining, called non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. As the cancer grows, it can extend into the surrounding muscle layer, becoming muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Around 10,500 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK each year, and over half of these cases are in people aged 75 and over. Despite this, early diagnosis and treatment improve the outlook for many. 

The main symptom is blood in the urine (haematuria). This usually looks bright red but sometimes can be dark brown.

Other bladder cancer symptoms include:

Symptoms in women and men are similar. Other benign conditions can cause bladder symptoms and having one or more of the signs above doesn’t mean you have bladder cancer. 

If you notice any symptoms that could be related to bladder cancer, it’s important to see a doctor straight away. It might not be cancer, but it’s always better to get checked so any treatment can start without delay.

You can speak to your GP about bladder symptoms, they may refer you to a specialist if appropriate.

You can also book a rapid assessment through our UrologyHub, with appointments usually available within 24 hours. A specialist urologist will assess your symptoms and promptly provide any tests you need.

Fast and easy access to expert urologists and diagnostic services for a wide range of health conditions for men and women.

1 in 2 bladder cancers are related to prior exposure to certain chemicals. When these chemicals build up and enter the bloodstream, they’re filtered into the urine, which is then stored in the bladder.

Known causes include:

• Smoking – 1 in 3 cases of bladder cancer are caused by smoking
• Industrial chemicals – having a job where you’re exposed to certain chemicals can cause bladder cancer
  

Occupations with a higher risk of bladder cancer include manufacturing dyes, textiles, rubbers, plastics and paint, and leather tanning. If you work in these industries, seek and follow advice on lowering your exposure to chemicals at work. 

Bladder cancer isn’t usually hereditary, which means being passed down through families. However, having a close relative with bladder cancer can slightly increase your risk. 

At GenesisCare we diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers, including bladder cancer, and we understand that this can be a very worrying time. Our diagnostic services are world-class, and our commitment is to give you the answers you need, as quickly as possible. 

The steps to diagnosing bladder cancer often start by seeing your doctor about symptoms or finding blood in a urine test.

Your doctor may refer you to a specialist, who will perform several diagnostic tests and scans to investigate possible causes affecting the bladder, kidneys and urethra.

These diagnostics include:

• Cystoscopy – looking inside the bladder with a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera
  
• Blood tests and urine tests
• Ultrasound  or CT scan – imaging scans to look for abnormal growths or changes to the bladder and nearby organs

A biopsy may also be taken, either during cystoscopy or during surgery for bladder cancer. This identifies the grade and type of cancer to help your doctor recommend the most appropriate treatment. 

The stage of cancer describes the size and spread. Bladder cancer has three overall stages:

• Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer – the earliest stage, where cancer is only in the bladder lining or superficial
• Invasive or muscle-invasive bladder cancer – the cancer extends beyond the bladder lining
  
• Metastatic bladder cancer – the cancer has spread to further parts of the body such as the lymph nodes or lungs
  

These are then divided into further stages described below. 

There are treatment options for all stages of bladder cancer. Some early-stage and low-risk bladder cancers can be cured with surgery.

When surgery isn’t an option, treatment aims to control your cancer – helping you live as well as possible, for as long as possible. 

At GenesisCare, it’s our commitment to offer world-class care to every patient with cancer. Skip ahead to discover our treatment approach.

The most appropriate treatment depends on the size, stage and type of bladder cancer, as well as your general health and treatment wishes. Your doctor also considers how likely your bladder cancer is to return.

Bladder cancer therapy may include:

• Surgery – removing areas of cancer (partial cystectomy), or all of the bladder (radical cystectomy) using either an endoscopic, open or robotic technique
  
• Chemotherapy – anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs that destroy the cancer cells
• Immunotherapy – drugs that help your immune system recognise and fight the cancer
• Radiotherapy – high-energy radiation beams targeted at areas of cancer 

Surgery is one of the main treatments for both non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancer, forming part of an overall treatment and care plan.

There are different techniques for bladder cancer surgery, including endoscopic, open and robotic approaches. Your surgeon will recommend the most appropriate procedure depending on the location of your cancer.

Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells. It’s a treatment used for both non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

For muscle-invasive bladder cancer, chemotherapy may be delivered on its own before surgery to reduce the size of your tumour before the operation, or after surgery to reduce the chance of cancer recurrence.

As an alternative to surgery, chemotherapy can be combined with radiotherapy (chemoradiation) with the aim to cure muscle-invasive bladder cancer without surgery. 

Immunotherapies work by helping your immune system to recognise and fight the cancer. It’s one of the main treatments for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer that’s at high risk of coming back or spreading to the muscle wall.

Bacillius Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is an immunotherapy delivered directly to the bladder through a catheter tube. BCG works by stimulating the growth and activity of your immune system cells in the bladder lining.

Radiotherapy uses targeted, high-energy radiation beams to destroy cancer cells. It's most commonly a treatment option for cancers that have spread into the muscle layer (muscle-invasive bladder cancer). 

All cancer treatments are associated with potential side effects. These are divided broadly into immediate or acute side effects and longer term or chronic side effects.

Your doctor will only suggest treatment where the benefit outweighs the potential toxicity, and they will review this in detail with you. 

Risk factors increase the chances of being affected by a condition. Even without the risk factors below, you can still develop bladder cancer. Never ignore possible symptoms.

Known risk factors include:

• Age – bladder cancer becomes more common with age
• Some previous cancer treatments
• Having a permanent catheter
• Chronic urinary tract infections
• Chronic bladder stones

It’s not always possible to prevent bladder cancer. But 1 in 2 cases are thought to be preventable, and there are steps you can take to lower your risk.

1. Stop smoking – people who smoke are four times more likely to develop bladder cancer.
2. Reduce exposure to industrial chemicals – if you work in certain manufacturing industries, seek advice on steps to protect yourself at work.

We’re the UK’s leading independent provider of private cancer care. By choosing us, you can be reassured that your treatment is managed by a team of specialists working together with you to design the best plan for your bladder cancer diagnosis.

Our approach to world-class care for bladder cancer includes:

• A personalised plan built around you
• Treatment starting within days if needed
• 14 outpatient cancer centres across the UK
• State-of-the-art facilities specialising in advanced radiotherapy
• Compassionate chemotherapy nurses available 24/7 by telephone
  
• Integrative cancer care including wellbeing therapies and exercise medicine
• Recognised by all leading private medical insurers with self-pay options available

We are proud that so many patients rate our care as excellent as we help them through their cancer journey. Hear the unique experiences of people who have had their cancer diagnosis or treatment at GenesisCare in our patient stories section.

Our consultants include expert surgeons who work in local and nationally renowned hospitals. They work together with other cancer specialists to decide the best course of treatment for you.

If your consultant recommends bladder cancer surgery, this can be arranged conveniently at one of our partner hospitals. You can then continue your other treatments at GenesisCare.

At GenesisCare, we offer all drug therapies that can be used to treat and manage bladder cancer, including chemotherapy and many of the newest treatments.

Depending on your treatment, you may attend one of our private suites staffed by our specialist nurses, who are available 24/7 on a dedicated on-call telephone. They can advise around the clock on any symptoms or side effects and arrange appropriate medical care if needed.

Our centres have all received the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark to reflect the quality of care we provide for people living with cancer.

At GenesisCare, we’re the leading private provider of radiotherapy in the UK and offer world-class expertise and state-of-the-art facilities that specialise in advanced radiotherapy techniques.

Our latest-generation radiotherapy machines (called Linacs) deliver highly targeted radiation beams, designed to be effective while minimising the radiation dose to healthy tissues.

At GenesisCare, we offer volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) wherever possible because it is widely recognised to be the highest standard of care currently available for patients needing this type of radiotherapy treatment.

Together with surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT) and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), it’s possible to precisely target areas of cancer and avoid healthy tissues, minimising the risk of side effects.  

If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s called advanced or metastatic bladder cancer. At GenesisCare, you can receive palliative drug treatment for advanced bladder cancer, to reduce the size and progress of your cancer and ease any symptoms. This can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or palliative VMAT radiotherapy. 

For some advanced cancers, we use specialist tests, such as liquid biopsy or genomic testing, to understand the genetic make-up of cancer cells and which drugs are available to work against them. Armed with these insights, we can start effective treatment without delay.

There may also be opportunities to access clinical trials for the newest treatments for ­­­­bladder cancer.

Every patient is supported through their journey with consultant-led integrative cancer care, which combines medical treatment with life-changing approaches including exercise medicine, wellbeing therapies and psychological support.

You’ll have optional access to a wellbeing expert to guide you through holistic therapies of your choice, such as counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology, through our unique partnership with the Penny Brohn UK charity.

Exercise medicine includes a 12-week personalised programme provided by a specialist physiotherapist, available at selected centres, with techniques shown to improve outcomes for cancer patients and reduce the impact of cancer by enhancing quality of life, reducing fatigue and improving strength.