10 Sneaky Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer That Every Woman Needs To Know

Bladder cancer is pretty much undermined and overshadowed by cancers like skin, lung, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancer.  This is partially understandable, given that bladder cancer makes as little as 5 percent of all cancers in the U.S, compared to breast cancer which makes up 12 percent of cancer diagnosis. In addition, 40-50 percent of those over the age of 65 have skin cancer and 1 in 4 Americans have lung cancer.

But, 5 percent is still a large number.  The American Cancer society estimates that up to 80,000 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in 2017.  Unfortunately, most of the symptoms of bladder cancer can be misconstrued for other diseases, which is the reason why many of the patients eventually die from it.

WHAT IS BLADDER CANCER?

The cells in the bladder can change and stop growing or behaving as they are supposed to. The same changes can result in cancer, and some of those are as follows:

Non-cancerous conditions like kidney stones and urinary tract infections
Benign tumors like fibroma or papilloma
However, these changes can eventually cause malignant tumors and cancer.

TYPES OF BLADDER CANCER

Non-invasive Bladder Cancer occurs in the cells of the urothelium.
Invasive Bladder Cancer occurs when the cancer spreads to the bladder wall muscles and the connective tissues.

TREATMENT FOR BLADDER CANCER

Needless to say, the treatment depends on the grade, category, and stage of the cancer. The primary methods of treatment for this type of cancer include:

• Radiation
• Surgery
• Immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy

13 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BLADDER CANCER

The symptoms can be divided into two groups: early and late.

Early symptoms of Bladder Cancer:

• Difficulty urinating
• Frequent need to urinate
• Blood in the urine
• Burning sensation while urinating
• Intense, suffer need to urinate

Late Symptoms of Bladder Cancer:

• Lump in the pelvis
• Change in bowel habits
• Swelling in the legs
• Fever
• Anemia
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Pain in the rectum, anus, pelvis, flank, or in the bones

HOW TO PREVENT BLADDER CANCER

Needless to say, prevention is always better than the cure. While many risk factors, like being male, age, being Caucasian, or having a bladder-related birth defect, are unchangeable, many of other things that increase the chance of bladder cancer are linked to toxins and toxic build up.

DON’T SMOKE

Smoking brings in countless cancer-causing chemicals in the body.  Not only should you stay away from smoking, but avoid being in the presence of smokers, too.

USE CAUTION AND REDUCE EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS

Many jobs require use of dangerous chemicals.  However, if you want to stay on the safe side, it is important to take safety precautions, including wearing face masks and protective clothes. Another thing you can do to minimize your exposure to toxic chemicals is to replace processed foods with healthier foods items and swap cleaning supplies and make up with natural alternatives.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER

Staying well hydrated during the day dilutes the urine stimulates urination, meaning that you will be filtering and eliminating waste from the kidneys regularly, giving them less time to remain in the bladder.

EAT A VARIETY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Last but not least, eating a variety of fruits and veggies ensures a high fiber intake as well as high intake of cancer-fighting antioxidants.  The fiber promotes regular bowel movements while the antioxidants kill off free radicals before they get the chance to cause cancer.

source: http://www.cuisineandhealth.com

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5 Sneaky Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer Every Woman Should Be Aware Of

Bladder cancer may not be on your mind because even if you do regular checkups, breast exams, skin checks and pap smears are usually on the top of your list. Also, many think that bladder cancer is  an elderly person`s disease, but every year there are more than 18.000 women diagnosed with this horrible disease in the U.S. alone.

According to the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network a great percentage of women diagnosed with bladder cancer are already in advanced stage simply because they were not paying attention or misted its symptoms for something else.

Knowing the symptoms before it’s too late can significantly improve your chances of recovering.

Here are 5 common symptoms of bladder cancer every woman should know!

1. HAVING BLOOD IN YOUR URINE

This is an easy symptom for women to overlook, because it can go even months between occurrences and its basically painless.

“Many women ignore this symptom because they connect it with menstruation or menopause,” says Arjun Balar, M.D., an oncologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. Of course, blood in your urine doesn’t mean you have cancer, but make sure you discuss it with your doctor.

2. UTI-LIKE SYMPTOMS

Urinary tract infection and bladder cancer have very similar symptoms that often overlap. Some of them are: pain with urination, increased frequency to urinate or urgency to urinate. So, if you notice any of these symptoms and you`re having a hard time emptying your bladder then its time you have a talk with your doctor.

3. UNEXPLAINED PAIN

If you are experiencing pain in your flank area, pelvis, abdomen or even in your bones than tell your doctor about it. These types of pain are usually associated with advanced bladder cancers. Take special care if you`ve also had UTI symptoms or the aforementioned spotting.

4. DECREASED APPETITE

Losing your appetite is one of the most common cancer symptoms, bladder cancer included. According to Arjun Balar, M.D., if the cancer has spread or grown than you might experience weight loss or feel weak and tired all the time. Of course, don`t take any of this for granted, because there are a lot of other things that can mess with your appetite so have a talk with your doctor if this problem persists.

5. SMOKING

We know that smoking isn`t a symptom, but about 50% of women diagnosed with bladder cancer are smokers. There is no bigger risk factor for bladder cancer than smoking, so if you notice any of the symptoms above and you smoke than we strongly suggest you let your doctor know, ASAP.

One of the most important things is not to write off your symptoms and let your doctor determine if it`s something minor or you have a serious situation on your hands.


source: http://www.buzzfanzine.com

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