Bladder Cancer is the sixth most-common type of cancer in the US, with 65,000 people diagnosed each year, leading to as many as 14,000 deaths per year. Although the exact cause of bladder cancer is not known, some contributing factors have been identified. Smoking has been linked to a five-fold increased risk of bladder cancer and possibly associated with half of male cases and a third of female cases.

AUCNY doctors can help diagnose and treat bladder cancer, but it starts with recognizing the symptoms and getting an appointment to be tested. Some of the symptoms of bladder cancer are commonly found in other non-cancerous medical conditions, so an AUCNY urologist’s diagnostic workup is important for a correct and timely diagnosis.

When diagnosed at an early stage, the tumor is well-localized to the inner lining of the bladder. As it progresses over time, it can enter the muscular bladder wall, progress to the local lymph nodes, and then spread to distant sites throughout the body affecting the bones, liver, and lungs.