Modern medicine is actively working towards finding a cure for cancer. However, the vaccine expected by many patients is not yet available. In this article, I want to talk about a disease such as bladder cancer in women.
Some statistics
This disease - bladder cancer - affects an average of 10-15 thousand people in Russia annually. At the same time, men suffer from this disease four times more often than women (most likely, according to doctors, the reason is the anatomical features of the structure of the male urogenital system). However, in this article I want to consider exactly the symptoms of bladder cancer in women, because the signs of the course of this disease in people of different sexes are slightly different.
Causes
So, bladder cancer. The causes of this disease are most often the following:
- The work of a person in very close contact with aromatic amines (these are aluminum, dyeing, plastic production). The risk of disease in this case increases by 30 times.
- People who smoke are about ten times more likely to get bladder cancer.
- Scientists say that this disease is twice as likely to occur in those people who drink chlorinated water.
- Radiation exposure in humans increases the risk of disease up to three times.
- And, of course, medical problems with the bladder can lead to the development of this terrible disease. So, the risk of getting sick in those people who suffer from chronic cystitis is twice as high. Five times higher risk in those who are diagnosed with "schistosomotosis of the bladder" (parasitic disease).
First signs
What are the first signs of bladder cancer in women? So, it will be hematuria. To make it clearer, it’s easiest to say “blood in the urine”. This symptom is observed in approximately 85% of patients. However, it is worth mentioning that at the same time pain during urination may not be. Also in the urine can be not only blood, but also small blood clots. The patient should be alert for the frequency of occurrence of this symptom. So, if blood in the urine appears from time to time, this is an occasion to immediately consult a doctor. Permanent hematuria can only be in patients with advanced stage of the disease. Indeed, in this case, the tumor will bleed constantly. Features:
- The intensity of blood color can be different: from pink to bright red. At the same time, a woman will not be able to confuse blood in her urine with monthly discharge - menstruation.
- Clots can be of different sizes and shapes. It is also worth remembering that these formations can fill the entire bladder, which often leads to its tamponade. Those. the bladder is so clogged with blood clots that urine simply cannot go out naturally. In this case, surgical intervention will be required.
- It is worth saying that the smallest tumor can bleed heavily, and the large one may not be accompanied by severe bleeding. This is the first problem in making the correct diagnosis.
Important: blood in the urine can be a symptom of not only bladder cancer, but also ordinary cystitis. Therefore, to make the correct diagnosis, you must definitely seek medical help.
Symptom 1. Dysuria
What are the other symptoms of bladder cancer in women? So, this is dysuria. Or problems with urination, if we speak in everyday language. In this case, the tumor can squeeze the urethra, which will lead to pain. At the very beginning, the pain will be localized in the pubic area. However, with the development of the disease, it can “give” to the perineum and even to the vagina. When urinating, pain can be very strong.
Symptom 2. Incontinence
The following symptoms of bladder cancer in women are incontinence and frequent urination. So, the patient may experience frequent and false urge to urinate. There may also be involuntary discharge of urine. However, these symptoms occur only if the malignant cancer is located in the neck of the bladder.
Symptom 3. Bad smell
We further consider the symptoms of bladder cancer in women. So, with this disease, the released fluid can smell unpleasant. This is due to the decomposition of the tumor, problems with urination. In this case, the urine will smell ammonia, and at the bottom of the vessel it will be possible to consider the sediment (the urine may be purulent).
Other symptoms
So, bladder cancer in women. What other symptoms may occur?
- Fistulas. They can appear in the area from the bladder to the vagina or from the bladder in the direction of the rectum. In some cases, suprapubic fistula may occur.
- Swelling of the legs. If the patient has metastases in the area of inguinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes, this can cause lymphatic swelling of the legs.
Diagnostics
Diagnosing bladder cancer is also very important. What are the ways to diagnose the appearance of this disease in humans?
- Cystoscopy. Today it is the only accurate way to diagnose this disease. In this case, the mucous membrane of the bladder will be examined using a special tool - an endoscope. The only drawback of this procedure is invasiveness. The study is accompanied by discomfort and discomfort. A huge plus: the ability to not only “see” and examine the tumor, but also to take a piece of it for research.
- Modern medicine does not stand still. And for the express diagnosis of bladder cancer, scientists invented a special test strip. It works on the basis of a pregnancy test and is called NMP22. However, this diagnostic method has not yet been widely used.
- Of great importance are also such studies as MRI, CT and ultrasound. These are all non-invasive diagnostic methods. Cancer can be detected during routine physical examinations (ultrasound diagnostics), as well as during postoperative studies and monitoring of treatment results (computer and magnetic resonance diagnostics).
- Laboratory methods also contribute to the study of the disease. In this case, the doctor may prescribe a general urine test. The cytological study of urine sediment is also relevant.
Stages
There are four stages of bladder cancer, depending on how much the disease has "grown" into the organ.
- Epithelium. In this case, the cancer is located within the mucous membrane of the organ - the epithelium. Treatment is easiest and has no obvious consequences.
- The submucosal layer, which serves as the basis for the epithelium, as well as muscle tissue. At this stage, the cancerous tumor already grows in the given muscle tissue.
- Adipose tissue and bladder wall. In the third stage, the tumor germinates already in these tissues.
- At the last stage, the tumor can grow into nearby organs - the uterus, vagina, pelvic bones and abdominal cavity. It is worth mentioning that in this case, treatment almost never leads to the recovery of the patient, since metastases affect many vital organs.
Classification
Further, the histological classification of bladder cancer should be considered. So, tumors in this case are as follows:
Epithelial tumors. They occur most often - in approximately 97% of cases of the disease.
- Transitional papilloma.
- Squamous papilloma.
- Transitional cancer.
- Squamous cell carcinoma.
- Adenocarcinoma.
- Cancer that cannot be differentiated.
It is worth saying that the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is subdivided into several subspecies:
- With glandular metaplasia.
- With squamous metaplasia.
- The combined option is with glandular and squamous metaplasia.
Non-epithelial tumors:
- Malignant (e.g. rhabdomyosarcoma).
- Benign.
Mixed group of tumors:
- Lymphoma
- Carcinosarcoma.
- Malignant melanoma, etc.
Non-tumor changes:
- Polypoid or papillary "cystitis".
- Cystic "cystitis."
- Fibrous polyp.
- Nests of von Brunn et al.
Tumor-like lesions:
- Hemartomas.
- Cysts
- Amyloidosis.
- Endometriosis and others.
- And there may also be metastatic and nonclassifiable tumors.
Treatment
The methods of treatment will depend on what kind of cancer is observed in the patient. In any case, it must be said that if the first symptoms of the disease occur, you need to seek medical help. After all, it is still possible to cure bladder cancer in the early stages. Whereas a neglected disease cannot be cured.
Superficial cancer: treatment
How can I find out what superficial bladder cancer looks like? Photos in this matter are the first helpers. If interested, you can ask the doctor to tell you more about the disease and provide various photographic materials. However, the doctors themselves do not practice this, since by such actions they can simply intimidate the patient. With superficial cancer, the tumor formation is located within the epithelium, and can also penetrate the muscle tissue. In this case, the disease is still quite treatable, and the patient can completely get rid of the problem.
- TOUR, i.e. transurethral electroresection. This technique has not only a diagnostic (biopsy), but also a healing property. In this case, using this procedure, the tumor will be removed from the patient. However, it must be said that after this relapse occurs in 50% of patients.
- Relapse can be reduced by intravesical administration of the well-known BCG vaccine or other medications (Doxorubicin, Mitomycin, etc.).
- After the TUR procedure, the patient must undergo scheduled examinations. In this case, it will be possible to determine the return of the disease in time.
- If a malignant tumor after removal again “returned”, doctors often advise patients to resort to a more radical surgical intervention - cystectomy. In this case, the patient will be completely removed the bladder (an organ will be formed from a segment of the intestine), which significantly increases the risk of survival.
Invasive cancer: treatment
In this case, the tumor can penetrate not only into the muscle tissue of the bladder, but also outside the organ itself. It is worth clarifying that with this type of disease, the risk of metastases in the lymph nodes increases significantly. What methods of getting rid of the problem can be applied in this case?
- The most effective in this case is a cystectomy with lymphadenectomy, i.e. removal of the bladder with regional lymph nodes.
- In some cases, the TUR procedure described above can be used, as well as an open resection of the urea.
- And, of course, chemotherapy is also effective.
Generalized cancer: treatment
This disease implies the presence of metastases. Most often, they appear, as already mentioned above, in the neighboring lymph nodes, as well as in the lungs, liver and bones. All that the doctor can advise in this case is a powerful chemotherapy, which should be carried out using several drugs at once. These may be Vinblastin, Methotrexate, Doxorubicin, etc. drugs. However, it must be said that all these medicines are not safe. Therefore, they should be used only with the permission of the attending doctor.
Patient survival
Superficial cancer. Five-year patient survival is extremely high at 80%.
Invasive bladder cancer. Five-year survival is an average of 50-55%.
Metastatic (or generalized) bladder cancer. Five-year patient survival is approximately 20% (with good treatment).
Nutrition
A very important diet for bladder cancer. Indeed, often patients who receive a dose of radiation or chemotherapy simply “lose” the substances and vitamins necessary for the body. You can replenish them not only with medications, but also with the “right” food.
- Nutrition of the patient should be as high in calories. Indeed, often patients lose weight and they need to restore their strength.
- It is also important that cancer patients receive a sufficient amount of protein. It is worth saying that with excessive protein intake, the growth of tumors of the liver and bladder slows down.
- Meat should be treated with caution. Scientists have proven that red meat stimulates cancer. Therefore, preference should be given to chicken breast and low-fat rabbit.
- Also, the patient needs to eat fish.