In addition to prostate cancer, the urologic oncologists at Henry Ford specialize in diagnosing and treating cancer of the bladder.
Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men and the ninth most common cancer among women in the United States. People who smoke have as much as three times greater risk of getting bladder cancer.
Cancer cells typically spread within the walls of the bladder, and if left untreated, can spread beyond the bladder to other areas of the body. There is a risk of the tumor blocking the flow of urine, causing swelling (hydronephrosis) and damage to the kidney. Symptoms include blood in the urine, and frequent and urgent urinating. (The blood in the urine may only be obvious through a microscope).
Treatment of bladder cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor. Most often the growth is on the inner surface of the bladder. It can usually be treated by surgical removal through the urethra (the tube through which you urinate).
If the tumor invades more deeply, the entire bladder may need to be removed (radical cystectomy). This requires some form of drainage for the urine. Occasionally, patients are candidates for complex surgeries to reconstruct a bladder using the patients own bowels. Several Henry Ford physicians perform this procedure.
Henry Fords Urology Department is currently conducting two open studies on the treatment of bladder cancer. For more information, call Susan Berry, R.N., Urology Research Coordinator at (313) 916-2438.
