Bladder cancer: What to know and how to lower the risk?
As you know, your bladder stores the urine till you pee. The human urinary bladder is a muscular sac located in the pelvic region, just close to the pubic bone. The urine from the kidney flows to the bladder, in which, the muscles stretch by itself to store it. Abnormal growth of cells in the urinary bladder is called as bladder cancer. The abnormal cell growth leads to a tumor, and can spread to the nearby organs if untreated. Read about the bladder cancer signs that you should be aware of.
Symptoms to know
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine.
â An urge to urinate frequently
â Difficulty to urinate
â An constant urge to urinate, but difficult to pass urine
â A pain in the lower back side of the body
â Urinating small amounts, but in a frequent manner
â Recurrent infections in the urinary tract
â Swelling in the legs
â Presence of pelvic mass
Stay aware of the risk factors
Although the cause of bladder cancer is unknown, there are certain risk factors identified by medical science researchers.
â Smoking: If you are a smoker, be it pipes or cigars, or cigarettes, you are at a higher risk of developing bladder cancer. Smoking will cause the presence of harmful chemicals in the urine. The chemical substance that is added in the cigarettes gets excreted through urine normally. These chemicals may damage the inner lining of the bladder, leading to growth of abnormal cancer cells.
â Aging: Normally the average age of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer in the country is 73. You are at a higher risk of bladder cancer after 55 years of age. It is rarely seen in people below 50 years.
â Gender: Men have higher chance of getting bladder cancer than woman.
â Exposure to chemicals: If you are constantly exposed to an environment of harmful chemicals used in dying, rubber, print etc, you are at a higher risk of bladder cancer. The chemicals that get into your body will be excreted by the kidney, and it goes through the bladder. Gradually, the chemicals will damage the lining of the bladder.
â Chronic bladder infections: If you are continuously diagnosed with urinary stones or infections, or under continuous use of urinary catheters, chance of bladder cancer is higher.
â Intake of arsenic: Arsenic is an element found in drinking water. In case of continuous intake of arsenic, bladder cancer is possible.
How to prevent bladder cancer?
Here are a few ways to lower your risk of bladder cancer.
â Quit smoking
â Avoid exposure to industrial chemicals
â Avoid exposure to arsenic
â Drink lot of water, and hydrate your body
â Lead a healthy lifestyle with balanced diet and proper exercise
