Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer occurs when abnormal tissue develops in the lining of the bladder. The bladder is part of the body systems that filters waste products out of your blood and makes urine. More than 10,000 cases of bladder cancer are recorded in the UK each year, although the actual number of cases may be higher.
Contact UsWhat is Bladder Cancer
The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that collects and stores urine. In the UK, over 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, though the actual number may be higher due to data collection methods.
Bladder cancer is categorised based on whether it remains confined to the bladder lining or has spread through the bladder wall.
We work together to combine the highest levels of consultant-led care and patient choice with the most advanced knowledge and understanding of the disease and its forms.
Learn More About Bladder Cancer
There are several types of bladder cancer, which are named after the cells where the cancer originates.
- Urothelial Cancer: The most common type, also known as urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), begins in the urothelial or transitional cells of the bladder lining.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A less common type that starts in the squamous cells.
- Adenocarcinoma: Another less common type originating in glandular cells.
- Small Cell Bladder Cancer: Starts in neuroendocrine cells.
Bladder cancer can also be classified into:
- Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC)
The cancer cells are in the inner lining or the connective tissue that surrounds the inner lining of the bladder. They have not spread into the muscle layer. - Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)
The cancer is in the muscle layer of the bladder or has spread through the muscle into the fat layer. It has not spread outside the bladder. - Locally advanced bladder cancer
The cancer has spread outside the bladder into nearby tissues, the prostate, vagina, ovaries, womb or rectum. It may also be in lymph nodes in the pelvis, near the bladder. - Advanced bladder cancer
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
The most common symptom is blood in the urine, known as haematuria. This may be visible or detected through a urine dipstick test. While many cases of blood in the urine are not due to bladder cancer, it is crucial to have any symptoms checked by a GP for early diagnosis and treatment. Bladder cancer can also cause issues with passing urine for both men and women.
Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer
If you exhibit symptoms, your GP can test your urine for blood and check for urinary infections. They may also send urine samples to a lab to test for cancer cells. An internal examination may be performed due to the proximity of the bladder to the bowel, prostate, or womb.
If there is suspicion of cancer or uncertainty about the symptoms’ cause, your GP will refer you to a urologist or a urology nurse specialist. An urgent referral ensures a prompt specialist appointment. Most patients will visit a haematuria clinic or a hospital’s urology department for further testing, often conducted on the same day.
Tests
You may have some of the following tests:
- Cystoscopy
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- Ultrasound scan
- CT urogram
Treatments available at Clatterbridge Private Clinic
The treatment you have for bladder cancer depends on the size and location of the cancer, whether it has spread to other parts of the body and your general health. You may be offered a combination of treatments. Consultants at the Clatterbridge Private Clinic develop a tailored treatment plan for each patient best-suited to their needs. We have access to a wide range of treatment options, many of which are not routinely available on the NHS.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer. It uses cytotoxic drugs to disrupt the cancer cell’s ability to grow and reproduce. You may be given chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the tumour, after surgery to help stop the cancer coming back, or to slow the growth if the cancer cannot be cured. Patients at Clatterbridge Private Clinic are treated within our state-of-the-art outpatient chemotherapy suite and have access to the latest drug regimes, some of which may not be routinely available on the NHS.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy can be used after surgery to prevent cancer returning, before surgery to shrink the cancer, or as an alternative if surgery is not an option. It can be used on its own, but it is often given in combination with chemotherapy which is known as chemoradiation treatment. At Clatterbridge Private Clinic, we offer advanced radiotherapy techniques such as image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and three-dimensional radiation therapy (3D-CRT), and Papillon therapy which is specifically developed for treating radiotherapy cancers, all delivered by our expert radiographers.
Targeted drug therapies
Targeted drug therapies exploit the behaviour of cancer cells in order to destroy them or slow their growth. These therapies use anti-cancer medicines to treat bladder cancers and are given as injections or tablets. Clatterbridge Private Clinic is one of the only clinics in the northwest with access to the most advanced targeted drug therapies for the treatment of bladder cancer, many of which are not available on the NHS.
