Bladder cancer is a form of cancer that usually begins when cells that line the bladder develop tumorous growths. It is a common cancer, although there is little awareness of it, with close to 70,000 diagnoses and 15,000 deaths expected from it this year alone (1). Men are much more likely to develop the disease than women are. The cancerous cells begin to grow rapidly and spread to other parts of the bladder, forming a region of abnormal tumorous cells. These abnormal cells do not expand normally but instead expand rapidly and at much greater speed than normal cells. These tumors can overtake healthy cells because they block oxygen and inhibit their ability to receive the nutrients and material they need.
Bladder cancer cells can undergo Metastatis, meaning that the cancer spreads to other parts of the body than where it originated. In this case, bladder cancer often transfers from the bladder to the lymph nodes and kidneys before spreading to the blood stream where other vital organs, like the heart and lungs, are likely to be affected.
Like with most cancers, bladder cancer is diagnosed as being in one of five main stages. Stage 0 (pre-stage) is when the cancer is in the center of the bladder but has not yet reached the connective tissue or the muscle wall. Spreading has not yet begun. Stage 1 indicates that the cancer has reached the connective tissue but has not penetrated the muscle of the bladder wall. In Stage 2, the cancer has grown into the muscle layer of the bladder wall and the fatty tissue around the bladder. Stage 3 is characterized by cancer that has completely penetrated the fatty tissue of the bladder and possibly the surrounding organs, but has not yet made contact with the lymph nodes or areas that are farther away. In Stage 4, the cancer has either gone through the pelvic or abdominal wall, spread to the lymph nodes or reached a distant site such as the bones, liver or lungs.
Treatment options vary by stage. Surgery may be done to remove the cancer or tumor. This sometimes involves directly removing the cancer or removing the entire or part of the bladder and any affected lymph nodes and organs. Radiation is another common treatment method that involves using high energy x-rays to kill or contain the cancer cells. Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to combat cancer, sometimes given throughout the body or directly applied to the bladder. Other approaches include strengthening the body’s natural immune system to help it fight the cancer off itself. A number of clinical trials are also being performed to develop new methods to combat this vicious disease.
Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
There is no one complete determination of what causes bladder cancer or what increases ones risk factors. It is, however, well established that cigarette smoking makes a person more likely to contract the disease. Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer. Workplace exposure is another risk factor that includes exposure to dangerous chemicals. Some chemicals have been linked to bladder cancer. Different ethnicities are also more pre-disposed to developing bladder cancer and age can be a major factor, with 90% of bladder cancer patients over the age of 55. Men are also at a much higher risk for bladder cancer than women.
Some new reports have indicated that the diabetes drug ACTOS may also increase the chances of developing bladder cancer, with some sample sizing showing as much as a 40% increase. The drug has already been pulled from the market in several European countries. The Law firm of Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. is investigating ACTOS cases in the United States. For more information see our ACTOS page or Contact us at 631-543-3663.
If you are taking ACTOS, talk to your doctor about proper dosing and the potential dangers. If you or a loved one has been harmed due to ACTOS do not hesitate to contact our firm today at 631-543-3663 for a free consultation. You may be entitled to compensation. With over three decades of experience, the law firm of Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C. is well positioned to help those harmed by Actos. The firm works with nationally recognized co-counsel to reach major verdicts.
(1) http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/bladder
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