Overview

  • Fourth most common cancer among men.
  • Ninth most common cancer among women.
  • More than 50,000 new cases of bladder cancer are detected each year.
  • Can be treated without major surgery.
  • Early detection is vital.
  • The earliest clue of a bladder tumor is blood in the urine.

Detecting bladder cancer

  • Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) is a test that allows the urologist to see images of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
  • Cystoscopy allows the urologist to view the lining of the bladder and remove tissue samples for biopsy.
  • Urinary cytology is where the urine is viewed under a microscope to search for cancer cells.

Treatment of bladder cancer

  • Superficial: located in the bladder lining (epithelium), treated with tumor removal; medication in bladder.
  • Invasive: cancer in the epithelium and extending into deeper layers; treated with removal of the bladder, chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is more frequently used in Europe than in the U.S.
  • Metastatic (cancer has spread): Spreading beyond the bladder (lymph nodes, liver, lungs, etc.); treated with chemotherapy.

Urologic Oncologists

Marc Dall'Era, M.D.
Professor and Interim Chair

Thenappan (Thenu) Chandrasekar, M.D.
Associate Professor

Schedule an appointment

To make an appointment, whether a new or returning patient, with a urologic oncologist please call the UC Davis Cancer Center appointment line at 916-734-5959.