1. Nursing Instruction
  2. Overview
  3. Urology
【Major Points】
  1. Bladder cancer means when malignant carcinomatous changes occur in the epithelial tissue of the bladder.
  2. Painless hematuria is the most typical symptom of bladder cancer.
  3. Treatment for bladder cancer varies according to the extent of disease invasion.
  4. Daily health care for patients with bladder cancer involves increasing water intake and avoiding the habit of holding urine.
  5. To prevent disease recurrence, cystoscopy should be performed after treatment according to doctors’ advice.

What is bladder cancer?
  1. The bladder is a muscular sac-like structure with a layer of waterproof urinary epithelial tissue on its internal surface, which comes into contact with urine. When this epithelial tissue develops malignant cancerous pathological changes, it is called bladder cancer.
  2. Bladder cancer can be divided into three types:
    1. Transitional cell carcinoma, which affects about 90 out of every 100 patients with bladder cancer.
    2. Squamous cell carcinoma, which affects approximately 7-8 out of 100 patients with bladder cancer.
    3. Adenocarcinoma, which affects approximately 1-2 out of 100 patients with bladder cancer.

What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?
  1. The most typical symptom is painless hematuria.
  2. Other symptoms may include frequent urination, pain during urination, urgency and urinary tract infections.
  3. Metastatic symptoms include lower back pain, swelling of the lower limbs, physical decline, and weight loss.

However, these symptoms do not necessarily means bladder cancer. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention from a doctor at a urology outpatient clinics.

How is bladder cancer treated?
  1. Superficial Type: The tumor invades the mucous membranes but does not reach the muscular layer. 
    1. Treatment: Transurethral resection of bladder tumor, followed by chemotherapy in the bladder (treatment with cancer-killing drugs) and cystoscopy every 3 months.
  2. Invasive Type: The tumor invades the muscular layer of the bladder. 
    1. Treatment: Depending on the extent of invasion, extensive and generalized treatment may be necessary. Treatments may include radical cystectomy with urinary diversion surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic chemotherapy.

How can I take care of myself if I have bladder cancer? Alternatively, how do I take care of a patient with bladder cancer?
  1.  Diet:
    1. Avoid consuming foods containing preservatives, marinades, and processed meats and ensure to wash foods that are prone to pesticide residues.
    2. Drink plenty of water and maintain a daily urine volume of more than 2,000cc to reduce carcinogen concentration in the bladder.
  2. Lifestyle:
    1. Avoid smoking (including second-hand smoke). Do not dye your hair often and try to get less exposure to dyes and organic solvents.
    2. People working in environments with potential exposure to chemicals, such as dyeing, printing, and leather, should monitor for signs of hematuria.
    3. Maintain regular urination habits and avoid holding urine.
  3. Cystoscopy should be done every three months after treatment to prevent disease recurrence.

Reference
  1. Bouchelouche, K.(2021). PET/CT in Bladder Cancer: An Update. Seminars in Nuclear Medicine. 52(4), 475-485. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2021.12.004.
  2. Crispen, P. L., & Kusmartsev, S. (2020). Mechanisms of immune evasion in bladder cancer. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy: CII, 69(1), 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-019-02443-4
  3. Dobruch, J., & Oszczudłowski, M.(2021). Bladder cancer: Current challenges and future directions. Medicina (Kaunas). 57(8), 749. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57080749.
  4. Jubber, I., Ong, S., Bukavina, L., Black, P.C., Compérat, E., Kamat, A.M., Kiemeney, L., Lawrentschuk, N., Lerner, S.P., Meeks, J.J., Moch, H., Necchi, A., Panebianco, V., Sridhar, S.S., Znaor, A., Catto, J. W. F., & Cumberbatch, M,G. (2023). Epidemiology of bladder cancer in 2023: A systematic review of risk factors. European Urology. 84(2), 176-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2023.03.029.
    Quiz

    Please answer the following questions:
    Nursing Instruction Satisfaction
    The statistical results are not open to the public.
    Please log in to rate
    Next
    Location
    1. Nursing Instruction
    2. Overview
    3. Urology
    Category
    Disease
    a601fc58a124a8d8547ddedd0043dcca.png
    Taipei Veterans General Hospital 
    No.201, Sec. 2, Shipai Rd., Beitou District,  3e72dadb9904d06fa0fb3744e4ed2612.png
    Taipei, Taiwan 11217, R.O.C.
    Tel: +886-2-2871-2121 #04
    • Smoking and chewing betel nut significantly induce oral cancer. Obesity will potentially increase the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Please control body weight and keep away from tobacco and betel nut.
    • Information provided above can’t overcome physician's treatment and replace physician patient relationship.
    © Copyright 2020 by Taipei Veterans General Hospital Nursing Department.
    All rights reserved.