What are the symptoms of bladder cancer in women? Bladder cancer in women: signs, diagnosis

Modern medicine is actively working towards finding a cure for cancer. However, this vaccine is not yet expected by many patients. In this article I want to talk about a disease like bladder cancer in women.

Some statistics

This disease - bladder cancer - affects in Russia an average of 10-15 thousand people per year. In this case, men suffer from this disease four times more often than women (most likely, according to doctors, the cause is the anatomical features of the structure of the male genitourinary system). However, in this article I want to consider exactly the symptoms of bladder cancer in women, because the signs 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:

1. The work of a person in very close contact with aromatic amines (these are aluminum, dyeing, plastic industries). The risk of disease in this case is increased by 30 times.
2. About ten times higher those who smoke are at risk of developing bladder cancer.
3. Scientists say that this disease is twice as likely to occur in people who drink chlorinated water.
4. Radiation impact on a person increases the risk of the disease up to three times.
5. And, of course, medical problems with the bladder can lead to the development of this terrible disease. So, twice the risk of getting sick in those people who suffer from chronic cystitis. Five times higher risk in those who are diagnosed with schistosomatosis 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 about 85% of patients. However, it should be said that with this pain sensation when urinating may not be. Also in urine can be not only blood, but also small blood clots. To guard the patient should the frequency of occurrence of this symptom. So, if the blood in the urine appears from time to time, it is an occasion to immediately consult a doctor. Permanent hematuria can be only in patients with advanced stage of the disease. In fact in that case the tumor will bleed constantly. Features:

1. The intensity of the color of the blood can be different: from pink to bright red. At the same time, the woman's blood in the urine can not be confused with monthly discharge - menstruation.
2. Bunches can be of different size and shape. It is also worth remembering that these data can fill the entire bladder, which often leads to its tamponade. Those. The bladder is so clogged with blood clots that urine simply can not go out naturally. In this case, surgery is required.
3. It should be said that the smallest tumor can bleed profusely, and a large one may not be accompanied by heavy bleeding. This is the first problem of correctly diagnosing.

Importantly: the blood in the urine can be a symptom not only of bladder cancer, but also of ordinary cystitis. Therefore, in order to establish the correct diagnosis, one must always seek help from a doctor.

Symptom 1. Dysuria

What are the symptoms of bladder cancer in women? So, this is dysuria. Or the problem with urination, if you speak everyday language. In this case, the tumor can squeeze the urethra, which will lead to pain. In the 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 into the vagina. When urinating, pain can be very strong.

Symptom 2. Incontinence

The following symptoms of bladder cancer in women - incontinence and frequent urination. Thus, the patient may have frequent and false urge to urinate. There may also be an involuntary leakage of urine. However, these symptoms only occur if a malignant cancer is located in the region of the neck of the bladder.

Symptom 3. Unpleasant odor

We further consider the symptoms of bladder cancer in women. So, with this disease, the secretion of liquid can be unpleasant to smell. 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 you can consider the sediment (urine can be purulent).

Other symptoms

So, bladder cancer in women. What other symptoms can occur?

1. Fistula. 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 fistulas may also occur.
2. Swelling of the feet. If the patient has metastases in the area of inguinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes, this can cause lymphatic swelling of the legs.

Diagnostics

Very important is also the diagnosis of bladder cancer. What are the ways to diagnose the appearance of this disease in humans?

1. Cystoscopy. To date, this is the only accurate way to diagnose this disease. In this case, the mucosa of the bladder will be examined using a special tool - an endoscope. The only disadvantage of this procedure is invasiveness. The study is accompanied by unpleasant sensations and discomfort. A huge plus: the opportunity not only to "see" and study the tumor, but also to take her piece for research.
2. Modern medicine does not stand still. And for the experiment-diagnosis of cancer of the bladder, scientists invented a special test strip. It works on the principle of a pregnancy test and is called NMP22. However, this method of diagnostics has not yet received wide distribution.
3. MRI, CT and ultrasound are also of great importance. These are all non-invasive methods of diagnosis. Cancer can be detected with the usual routine medical examination (ultrasound diagnosis), as well as during postoperative studies and monitoring of treatment results (computer and magnetic resonance diagnostics).
4. Laboratory methods also contribute to the study of the disease. In this case, the doctor can prescribe a general urine test. The cytological study of urine sediment is also topical.

Stages of

There are four stages of bladder cancer, depending on how much the disease "sprouted" into the organ.

1. Epithelium. In this case, the cancer lies within the mucous membrane of the organ - the epithelium. The treatment is most easily performed and has no obvious consequences.
2. Submucoid layer, which serves as the basis for the epithelium, as well as muscle tissue. At this stage, the cancerous tumor grows into this muscle tissue.
3. Adipose tissue and the wall of the bladder. In the third stage, the tumor grows into these tissues.
4. At the last stage, the tumor can sprout into the nearby organs - the uterus, the vagina, pelvic bones and abdominal cavity. It should be said that in this case, treatment almost never leads to recovery of the patient, since metastases affect a lot of vital organs.

Classification

Next, the histological classification of bladder cancer should be considered. So, tumors in this case are as follows:

Epithelial tumors. Arise most often - in about 97% of cases of the disease.

1. Transitional cell papilloma.
2. Flat cell papilloma.
3. Transitional cell carcinoma.
4. Squamous cell carcinoma.
5. Adenocarcinoma.
6. Cancer that can not be differentiated.

It should be said that the transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is divided into several subspecies:

1. With glandular metaplasia.
2. With squamous cell metaplasia.
3. The combined variant - with glandular and squamous metaplasia.

Non-epithelial tumors:

1. Malignant (for example, rhabdomyosarcoma).
2. Benign.

Mixed group of tumors:

1. Lymphoma.
2. Carcinosarcoma.
3. Malignant melanoma, etc.

Non-tumor changes:

1. Polypoid, or papillary "cystitis."
2. Cystic "cystitis."
3. Fibrous polyp.
4. Nests of von Brunn and others.

Tumor-like lesions:

1. Hemartomas.
2. Cysts.
3. Amyloidosis.
4. Endometriosis and others.
5. And also there can be metastatic and unclassifiable tumors.

Treatment

The methods of treatment will depend on what type of cancer is observed in the patient. In any case, it should be said that if the first symptoms of the disease occur, you need to seek medical help. After all, you can cure bladder cancer in the early stages. While a neglected disease can not be cured.

Superficial cancer: treatment

How can you find out what superficial bladder cancer looks like? Photos in this matter are the first assistants. If interested, you can ask the doctor to tell more about the disease and provide a variety of photographic materials. However, the doctors themselves do not practice this, because by such actions they can simply frighten the patient. With superficial cancer, tumor formation is within the epithelium, it can also penetrate into muscle tissue. In this case, the disease is still quite well treatable, and the patient can completely get rid of the problem.

1. TUR, ie. Transurethral electroresection. This technique has not only a diagnostic (biopsy), but also a therapeutic property. In this case, with the help of this procedure, the patient will be removed from the tumor. However, it must be said that after this, relapse occurs in 50% of patients.
2. To reduce the level of relapse, it is possible with intravesical injection of all known BCG vaccine or other medications (Doxorubicin, Mitomycin, etc.).
3. After the TUR procedure, the patient must undergo scheduled examinations. In this case, it will be possible to determine in good time the return of the disease.
4. If the malignant tumor has "returned" after the removal, doctors often advise patients to resort to more radical surgery - cystectomy. In this case, the patient will be completely removed from the bladder (the organ will be formed from the gut segment), 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 beyond the body itself. It is worth to clarify that with this type of disease significantly increases the risk of metastases in the lymph nodes. What, in this case, can be used to get rid of the problem?

1. The most effective in this case is cystectomy with lymphadenectomy, i.e. Removal of the bladder with regional lymph nodes.
2. In some cases, the TUR procedure described above, as well as open resection of the ureter, can be used.
3. 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 neighboring lymph nodes, as well as lungs, liver and bones. All that the doctor can advise in this case is the most powerful chemotherapy, which should be performed with the use of several drugs at once. It can be preparations "Vinblastine", "Methotrexate", "Doxorubicin", etc. However, it must be said that all these medications are not safe. Therefore, they must be used only with the permission of the treating doctor.

Survival of patients

Superficial cancer. The five-year survival rate of patients is extremely high and is 80%.

Invasive bladder cancer. The five-year survival rate is on average 50-55%.

Metastatic (or generalized) bladder cancer. The five-year survival rate of patients is approximately 20% (with quality treatment).

Food

Very important is the diet for bladder cancer. After all, often patients who receive a dose of radiation or chemotherapy, just "lose" the body needed substances and vitamins. You can replenish them not only with medicines, but also with "correct" food products.

1. Nutrition should be as high as possible. After all, patients often lose weight and need to restore their strength.
2. It is also important that cancer patients receive a sufficient amount of protein. It should be said that with excessive protein intake, the growth of tumors of the liver and bladder slows down.
3. Consumption of meat should be treated with caution. Scientists have proven that red meat leads to the stimulation of cancer. Therefore, preference should be given to the chicken breast and low-fat rabbit.
4. The patient also needs to eat fish.