kidney and urinary tract disorders
Bladder Cancer
Introduction
Most bladder cancers arise from the cells that form the innermost layer of the bladder. These cells, called transitional cells or urothelial cells, allow the bladder to stretch when it is full and shrink when it is emptied. Transitional cells are also the type of cells responsible for most cancers of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter Cancers . Bladder cancer most often causes blood in the urine. To make the diagnosis, doctors insert a thin, flexible tube with a camera (cystoscope) through the urethra into the bladder. Treatment often involves removing the cancer, using a cystoscope (for surface cancers) or surgically removing the entire bladder (for deeper cancers). About 82,290 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed every year in the United States. According to 2023 estimates, more than 16,710 people die of bladder cancer every year. About 3 times as many men as women develop bladder cancer. Smoking is the greatest single risk factor and seems to be one of the causes in at least half of all new cases. Certain chemicals that are used in industry can become concentrated in the urine and cause bladder cancer, although exposure to these chemicals is decreasing. These chemicals include hydrocarbons, aniline dyes (such as naphthylamine used in the dye industry), and chemicals used in the rubber, electric, cable, paint, and textile industries. Long-term exposure to some medications, especiallycyclophosphamide, increases the risk of bladder cancer. The chronic irritation that occurs with a parasitic infection called Schistosomiasis or with 