Modern medicine is actively working towards finding a cure for cancer. However, such a vaccine, expected by many patients, is not yet available. In this article, I would like to talk about such a disease as bladder cancer in women.
Some statistics
This disease - bladder cancer - affects an average of 10-15 thousand people in Russia every year. At the same time, men suffer from this disease four times more often than women (most likely, according to doctors, the anatomical features of the structure of the male genitourinary system are the cause). However, in this article I would like to consider the symptoms of bladder cancer in women, because the signs of the course of this disease in people of different sexes are slightly different.
Reasons
So, bladder cancer. The most common causes of this disease are as follows:
- Human work in very close contact with aromatic amines (these are aluminum, dyeing, plastic industries). Disease riskin this case, it increases 30 times.
- People who smoke are about ten times more likely to get bladder cancer.
- Scientists say the disease is twice as likely to occur in people who drink chlorinated water.
- Radiation exposure to humans increases the risk of disease up to three times.
- And, of course, medical problems with the bladder can lead to the development of this terrible disease. So, twice the risk of getting sick in those people who suffer from chronic cystitis. Five times the risk in those diagnosed with bladder schistosomiasis (a parasitic disease).
First signs
What are the first signs of bladder cancer in women? So, that would be hematuria. To make it clearer, the easiest way to say "blood in the urine." This symptom is observed in approximately 85% of patients. However, it should be said that in this case, pain during urination may not be. Also, in the urine there can be not only blood, but also small blood clots. The patient should be alerted to the frequency of occurrence of this symptom. So, if blood in the urine appears from time to time, this is an occasion to immediately consult a doctor. Permanent hematuria can only occur in patients with an advanced stage of the disease. Indeed, in this case, the tumor will bleed constantly. Features:
- The intensity of blood color can be different: from pink to bright red. At the same time, a woman cannot have blood in her urine.confused with monthly discharge - menstruation.
- Clots can be of different sizes and shapes. It is also worth remembering that these formations can fill the entire bladder, which often leads to its tamponade. Those. the bladder becomes so clogged with blood clots that urine simply cannot come out naturally. In this case, surgery will be required.
- It is worth mentioning that the smallest tumor may bleed heavily, and a large one may not be accompanied by heavy bleeding. This is the first problem in making a correct diagnosis.
Important: blood in the urine can be a symptom not only of bladder cancer, but also of ordinary cystitis. Therefore, to make a correct diagnosis, it is imperative to seek medical help.
Symptom 1. Dysuria
What are the other symptoms of bladder cancer in women? Yes, it's dysuria. Or problems with urination, in everyday terms. In this case, the tumor can compress the urethra, which will lead to pain. At the very beginning, the pain will be localized in the pubic area. However, with the development of the disease, it can "give" to the perineum and even to the vagina. When urinating, pain can be very intense.
Symptom 2. Incontinence
The next symptoms of bladder cancer in women are incontinence and frequent urination. So, the patient may experience frequent and false urge to urinate. It may also be involuntaryexcretion of urine. However, these symptoms only occur if the malignant tumor is located in the region of the bladder neck.
Symptom 3. Bad smell
Next look at the symptoms of bladder cancer in women. So, with this disease, the excreted fluid can smell unpleasant. This is due to the decomposition of the tumor, problems with urination. In this case, the urine will smell of ammonia, and at the bottom of the vessel you can see the sediment (urine may be purulent).
Other symptoms
So, bladder cancer in women. What other symptoms may occur?
- Fistulas. May appear in the area from the bladder to the vagina, or from the bladder towards the rectum. In some cases, suprapubic fistulas may also occur.
- Swelling of the legs. If the patient has metastases in the inguinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes, this can cause lymphatic edema of the legs.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of bladder cancer is also very important. What are the ways to diagnose the appearance of this disease in humans?
- Cystoscopy. To date, this is the only accurate way to diagnose this disease. In this case, the mucous membrane of the bladder will be examined using a special tool - an endoscope. The only disadvantage of this procedure is invasiveness. The study is accompanied by unpleasant sensations and discomfort. Huge plus:an opportunity not only to “see” and study the tumor, but also to take a piece of it for research.
- Modern medicine does not stand still. And for the rapid diagnosis of bladder cancer, scientists have invented a special test strip. It works on the principle of a pregnancy test and is called NMP22. However, this diagnostic method has not yet received wide distribution.
- Research such as MRI, CT and ultrasound are also of the utmost importance. These are all non-invasive diagnostic methods. Cancer can be detected during a routine routine physical examination (ultrasound diagnostics), as well as during the period of postoperative studies and monitoring of treatment results (computer and magnetic resonance diagnostics).
- Laboratory methods also contribute to the study of disease. In this case, the doctor may prescribe a general urine test. The cytological study of urine sediment is also relevant.
Stages
There are four stages of bladder cancer, depending on how far the disease has grown into the organ.
- Epithelium. In this case, the cancer is located within the mucous membrane of the organ - the epithelium. The treatment is the easiest to carry out and has no obvious consequences.
- Submucosal layer, which serves as the basis for the epithelium, as well as muscle tissue. At this stage, the cancer has already grown into this muscle tissue.
- Adipose tissue and bladder wall. At the third stage, the tumor grows into these tissues.
- At the last stage, the tumor can grow into nearby organs - the uterus, vagina,pelvic bones and abdominal cavity. It is worth saying that in this case, the treatment almost never leads to the recovery of the patient, since metastases affect many vital organs.
Classification
Next, the histological classification of bladder cancer should be considered. So, the tumors in this case are as follows:
Epithelial tumors. They occur most often - in about 97% of cases of the disease.
- Transitional cell papilloma.
- Squamous papilloma.
- Transitional cell carcinoma.
- Squamous cell carcinoma.
- Adenocarcinoma.
- Cancer that cannot be differentiated.
It is worth mentioning that transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is divided into several subspecies:
- With glandular metaplasia.
- With squamous metaplasia.
- Combined variant - with glandular and squamous metaplasia.
Non-epithelial tumors:
- Malignant (eg, rhabdomyosarcoma).
- Benign.
Mixed tumor group:
- Lymphoma.
- Carcinosarcoma.
- Malignant melanoma and others
Non-tumor changes:
- Polypoid, or papillary "cystitis".
- Cystic "cystitis".
- Fibrous polyp.
- Von Brunn's nests and others
Tumor-like lesions:
- Hemarthomas.
- Cys.
- Amyloidosis.
- Endometriosisetc.
- And there may also be metastatic and unclassified tumors.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the type of cancer the patient has. In any case, it must be said that if the first symptoms of the disease occur, you need to seek medical help. After all, it is still possible to cure bladder cancer in the early stages. Whereas a neglected disease cannot be cured.
Superficial cancer treatment
How can you tell what superficial bladder cancer looks like? Photos in this case are the first assistants. If interested, you can ask the doctor to tell you more about the disease and provide various photographic materials. However, the doctors themselves do not practice this, since by such actions they can simply intimidate the patient. With superficial cancer, the tumor formation is located within the epithelium, and can also penetrate into the muscle tissue. In this case, the disease is still quite treatable, and the patient can completely get rid of the problem.
- TOUR, i.e. transurethral electroresection. This technique has not only a diagnostic (biopsy), but also a therapeutic property. In this case, with the help of this procedure, the tumor will be removed from the patient. However, it must be said that after this relapse occurs in 50% of patients.
- Reduce the relapse rate by intravesical administration of the well-known BCG vaccine or other medications ("Doxorubicin", "Mitomycin", etc.).
- After the TUR procedure, the patient must undergo scheduled examinations. In this case, it will be possible to determine the return of the disease in time.
- If a malignant tumor "returned" after removal, doctors often advise patients to resort to a more radical surgical intervention - cystectomy. In this case, the patient's bladder will be completely removed (the organ will be formed from a segment of the intestine), which significantly increases the risk of survival.
Invasive Cancer Treatment
In this case, the tumor can penetrate not only into the muscle tissue of the bladder, but also outside the organ itself. It is worth clarifying that with this type of disease, the risk of metastases in the lymph nodes increases significantly. What methods of getting rid of the problem can be applied in this case?
- The most effective in this case is cystectomy with lymphadenectomy, i.e. removal of the bladder with regional lymph nodes.
- In some cases, the above TUR procedure can be used, as well as open urea resection.
- And, of course, chemotherapy is also effective.
Generalized cancer treatment
This disease implies the presence of metastases. Most often they appear, as mentioned above, in neighboring lymph nodes, as well as in the lungs, liver and bones. All that the doctor can advise in this case is the most powerful chemotherapy, which should be carried out using several drugs at once. It can bedrugs "Vinblastine", "Methotrexate", "Doxorubicin", etc. However, it must be said that all these medicines are not safe. Therefore, they should be used only with the permission of the attending doctor.
Patient survival
Superficial cancer. The five-year patient survival rate is extremely high at 80%.
Invasive bladder cancer. Five-year survival averages 50-55%.
Metastatic (or generalized) bladder cancer. Five-year patient survival is approximately 20% (with quality treatment).
Food
Diet for bladder cancer is very important. After all, often patients who receive a dose of radiation or chemotherapy simply “lose” the substances and vitamins that the body needs. You can replenish them not only with medicines, but also with the “right” food.
- The patient's diet should be as high in calories as possible. After all, often patients lose weight and they need to restore their strength.
- It is also important that cancer patients get enough protein. It is worth saying that with excessive protein intake, the growth of liver and bladder tumors slows down.
- Meat consumption should be treated with caution. Scientists have proven that red meat stimulates the development of cancer. Therefore, preference should be given to chicken breast and lean rabbit.
- Also, the patient should eat fish.
