Bladder cancer strikes approximately 67,000 Americans every year, and about 13,000 people die from the disease. Bladder cancer is the most common type of cancer of the urinary tract, accounting for about 90% of these cancers.

Developed countries like the Unites States have the highest incidence of bladder cancer, while in Asia and South America the incidence is almost 70% lower. Men are diagnosed with bladder cancer at a rate at least double that of women. No one is exactly sure why this gender difference exists.

As with all cancers, the earlier bladder cancer is detected, the better the chances for a full recovery. Symptoms can include blood in the urine, pain during urination, and/or frequent urination, or feeling the need to urinate without much in the way of results.

Any of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions, like bladder stones, urinary tract infections, or benign tumors. Only your doctor or a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary tract issues, can tell you for sure why you have specific symptoms.

If bladder cancer is diagnosed, it may be done with a CT or other imaging scans. These same scans can often tell the level or stage of the cancer. The extent of the cancer is usually referred to as Stage 0 through Stage IV, depending on where it has spread.

Surgery is a common treatment for bladder cancer, especially for cancers that have not spread into the muscle tissue adjoining the bladder. For cancers that are limited to the lining of the bladder, one treatment may be Transurethral Resection, where the cancer is physically removed and any lingering cells are burned away with a small electric current.

Another treatment option is called Segmental Cystectomy. This is used when the bladder cancer has invaded the bladder wall, but only in one area. The doctor removes the one section of bladder, leaving the rest of the organ intact.

If the cancer has spread, the doctor may perform a Radical Cystectomy, where the bladder is removed completely. In many cases the nearby lymph nodes, and any cancerous part of the urethra is removed. Depending on how far the cancer has spread, other organs may be partially or totally removed, as well.

This type of surgery is typically followed by chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. There are several options for each of these treatments; your doctor will talk with you about whether or not you need any of these treatments, and if so, which ones.

If the bladder is removed, the doctor may create a way for the small intestine to pass your urine directly out of your body through a short surgical opening and into a bag called a stoma. Sometimes a part of the small intestine can be used to store urine and then connected back to the urethra. With this procedure, no stoma bag is necessary.

People with bladder cancer can lead full lives, with little or no interruption from their regular routine. The key to this, though, is early detection. Any symptoms that could indicate bladder cancer should be thoroughly screened by your physician so a correct diagnosis can be made.

Treatment options are greater than they have ever been before. Bladder cancer is a very survivable cancer, and there are numerous clinical trials being conducted for new treatments that show great promise. Be sure to talk to your doctor about these if you are diagnosed with bladder cancer.