What Is Bladder Cancer: Overview

Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with over 50,000 newly diagnosed cases and over 12,000 deaths annually². Bladder cancer is three times more likely to occur in men than in women. The median age at diagnosis is 65 years; bladder cancer is rare in individuals under 40².

The recurrence rate for bladder cancer is 70 percent; of the approximately 600,000 Americans living with bladder cancer, it is estimated that nearly 400,000 are at risk for recurrence¹.

In men, bladder cancer is the fifth most common malignant tumour in Europe and the fourth most common in the USA. In American women it is the 8th most common cancer.

Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
Smoking is the greatest risk factor for bladder cancer, with smokers experiencing twice the risk of nonsmokers for developing the disease. Individuals living in urban areas - especially the American northeast - and those working in the dye, rubber, or leather industries are also at higher risk.

Bladder Cancer Symptoms
The chief initial symptom of bladder cancer is hematuria, or blood in the urine.

Over 90% of bladder cancers in western, industrialized countries are Transitional Cell Carcinomas, so called because these cells have the capability to undergo changes in size from cubical (when the bladder is empty) to flat (when the bladder is full).  With such a high rate of recurrence (>70%), it's important to regularly monitor for transitional cell carcinoma recurrence so that it is more likely to be caught early.  UroVysion can benefit the physician who is monitoring for recurrence of bladder cancer.

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