Living with Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is cancer of the bladder. In the vast majority of cases, bladder cancer forms in the inner lining of the bladder, though it can occasionally develop on the skin or in certain nerve cells. Nearly 75,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year making it the nation's sixth most common type of cancer. Most bladder cancers are diagnosed early and have a five-year survival rate approaching 70%.

Though it can occur at any age, 90% of bladder cancers are diagnosed in adults over the age of 55. Men are approximately three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than women. The most common risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking, and symptoms include lower back pain, blood in the urine, an increased urge to urinate, and pain during urination. The stages of bladder cancer range from zero to IV, depending tumor size and how widely it may have spread. Bladder cancer is frequently treated with surgery, but patients may also undergo drug, biological, and radiation therapies.

For more information on bladder cancer, read the American Cancer Society's detailed guide.

If you have been affected by bladder cancer, please be sure to take some time to read others' experiences, share your own experiences, and ask or answer questions. Don't forget to view our Beginner's Guide to Cancer.