How curable is bladder cancer? This is a common question because of bladder cancer’s life-threatening consequences if not treated at the right time and stage.
Bladder cancer is a rare case of a condition. Because of this, wondering how curable is bladder cancer very normal for those who are experiencing any of its symptoms or are diagnosed with this condition. Though bladder cancer is a rare condition and has many complications associated with its treatment and curability, in today’s advanced science, many treatments for bladder cancer have been invented.
This is why our article gives you a detailed guide on everything you need to know about bladder cancer and how curable is bladder cancer, from its treatments to its stages and symptoms. Our article will give you everything.
Table of Contents
So, let’s study how curable is bladder cancer
What is bladder cancer?
Before delving into how curable is bladder cancer, it’s important to know exactly what bladder cancer is and its symptoms.
Bladder cancer is a tumor-like condition that occurs in the lining of the bladder, and its cells start to grow without natural control. This is a very risky condition, and if left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences and life-threatening risks. How curable is bladder cancer entirely depends on its tumor stages and the increasing size of the cancer cells in the bladder. This is why it’s important to take notice of the symptoms of bladder cancer before it can reach any further stages.
Symptoms of bladder cancer
- Blood in urine
- Painful urination
- Too much frequent urination
- Lower back pain on a particular side of the body
- Problems with urinating
How curable is bladder cancer?
When it comes to the curability of bladder cancer, there are many factors that play a significant role, such as the stage of cancer, the type of cancer, and the overall health condition of the patient.
The stages of the curability of bladder cancer range from stage 0 to stage 4, where the increasing size and type of bladder cancer are determined along with the spreading rate. Most often, bladder cancer in its initial stages is easily cured with proper treatment and measurement, but later on, it becomes difficult to get rid of, keeping in mind the cancer stage, size, patient’s overall health, and the number of tumors.
Stages of bladder cancer
How curable is bladder cancer entirely depends on its stage and the growth of the tumor and cancer cells. Though this is a rare case of the condition, there are several treatments available for treating it.
- Stage 0
Stage 0 is just the beginning of the tumor forming in the lining of the bladder, and this stage entirely depends on how much the cancer has spread to the lining or has reached the bladder wall yet. In this stage of bladder cancer, it is mostly curable through the treatment of turbinate and intravenous chemotherapy in the following 24 hours of the treatment.
In this stage, the cancer cells have spread more into the lining of the bladder but have not yet reached the bladder wall. In this stage, the doctor recommended performing BCG after the tumor surgery to keep the cancer cells in check.
- Stage 1
Stage 1 of bladder cancer is where the cancer cells have already reached the bladder wall but have not spread throughout the muscle layer. In this stage, the seriousness of how curable is bladder cancer increases more, as most often in this stage, the concern for keeping the cancer in check from further spreading or advancing is kept in mind. In this stage, treatments like turbinoplasty, intravenous BCG, cystectomy, or chemo are performed.
- Stage 2
The cancer has finally reached the muscle layer of the bladder but has not spread any further than this. For determining the increased stage of cancer, the doctors refer to tubing to check the extent of the cancer cells in the muscle layer of the bladder.
The common treatments used for this stage are radical cystectomy, turbo, and cystectomy. The curability of the cancer at this stage is still possible, but the chance of the cancer resurfacing is also high because of this. Because of this, a routine check-up for treatment is done.
- Stage 3
In this stage, the cancer has reached out of the bladder muscle layer and spread into nearby organs but has not reached distant organs and areas. How curable is bladder cancer in this stage is determined by its extent. The instant treatment that is done for this stage is the tumor, which determines the spread of the cancer. This is then followed by chemotherapy, which helps to kill any cancer cells, and radical cystectomy. Though the chance of removing the cancer for a longer period of time after surgery is possible, the overall curability of the cancer is not clear at this stage.
- Stage 4
In this stage, the cancer has already reached the pelvic walls and distant organs. The first treatment for this stage is chemotherapy, which is followed by a recheck of the cancer. If there are still signs of cancer, further treatment, like a combination of radiation and chemotherapy or immunotherapy, may be performed. At this stage is difficult to determine, as bladder cancer in this stage is really difficult to get rid of, and even if cured, the chance of the cancer reappearing is always high.
Common treatments for curing bladder cancer
How curable is bladder cancer through the various advanced treatments entirely depends on its stage, tumor side, increasing speed type, and patient health, but there are certain common treatment measures used by doctors for bladder cancer.
- Surgery: surgery is one of the most common treatments for curing bladder cancer. There are many advanced surgical methods that are used for curing or limiting bladder cancer at very early stages. Some common surgical procedures used for bladder cancer are turbinoplasty and cystectomy for advanced treatment.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is another common treatment used to boost the body’s overall immunity power to fight cancer cells from spreading further.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is another common and effective treatment for curing bladder cancer, and most often, bladder cancer is cured through this treatment. Chemotherapy uses various drugs to kill the cancer cells or prevent their growth altogether.
- Radiation: this is a method that entirely depends on the patient’s overall health condition. In this method, high radiation is used to target the cancer cells and destroy them, but it also depends on the stage of the bladder cancer.
Read more: 5 Questions to Ask Your Urologist on Your Next Visit
Conclusion
How curable is bladder cancer entirely depends on the characteristics of the cancer and the patient’s overall health. In the initial stages, if treated at the proper time with proper guidance and treatment, the patient can get rid of the cancer and easily expect some favorable outcomes.
FAQ
How long can you live with bladder cancer?
Ans: How long you can survive with bladder cancer entirely depends on which stage and the type of bladder cancer you are diagnosed with, as most often bladder cancer is curable during its initial stages with proper treatment and preventive measures, but with later stages, bladder cancer becomes a difficult question as it also depends on the patient’s overall health condition.
How curable is bladder cancer?
Ans: How curable is bladder entirely depends on the type of bladder cancer and the stage you are diagnosed with. If you have non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, the chances of full recovery are very high, but if not, it is recommended that you immediately consult with your doctor before proceeding with proper treatment.
Does bladder cancer spread quickly?
Ans: Bladder cancer’s increasing spreading rate depends on the type of bladder cancer you are diagnosed with. Urothelial bladder cancer is the most common type of bladder cancer, which spreads at a much slower rate than other bladder cancers. Still, it is recommended to consult with your doctor for immediate treatment.
