Making the Diagnosis
To diagnose bladder cancer, your doctor will review your medical history,
including information about past employment, possible exposure to chemicals,
and lifestyle habits, such as smoking. Your doctor will then do a physical
exam and will probably perform a vaginal and/or rectal examination to rule out
other possible causes of the symptoms.
Blood tests are done to check for kidney function, and urine is checked for
blood or cancer cells. Next, a cystoscopy is performed. A doctor inserts
a thin tube called a cystoscope through the urethra (the tube
that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body during urination) and
into the bladder. The cystoscope allows the doctor to look inside the bladder
for any abnormalities, and to take a tiny sample of tissue (a biopsy),
which will be checked for cancer cells. If you have a cystoscopy done to you,
your doctor may give you either a local or general anesthetic,
Once a diagnosis of cancer is made, the stage of the cancer (how far it
had has advanced) is determined. Some of the following tests might be done:
- CT or CAT scans (computed tomography) show any tumors or abnormalities
in the urinary tract area (this includes the bladder, kidneys, urethra, and ureters)
- MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), more sophisticated than CT scans,
show any irregularities in the bladder or urinary tract area
- IVP (intravenous pyelogram or intravenous pyelography) involves
injection of dye (which becomes concentrated in the urine), at which point
X-rays are taken; the X-rays follow the urinary path and show any obstructions
or abnormalities
- bone scans determine if the cancer has spread to the bones
- chest X-rays show if the cancer has spread to the lungs