Bladder Cancer
Facts About Bladder Cancer
The bladder is located in the pelvis. It collects and stores urine and has a muscular wall that allows it to contract and expand.
Treatment options are based on the type of cancer, your age and your overall health. Bladder cancer, if caught early, can often be cured. The main treatments include:
Radiation Therapy Options for Bladder Cancer
Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, is the careful use of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer.
External beam radiation therapy involves a series of daily outpatient treatments to deliver radiation to the bladder. The radiation beam usually comes from a machine called a linear accelerator or linac. These treatments take around 10 to 15 minutes each, five days a week, for five to seven weeks.
The side effects you might feel will depend on the part of your body being treated, the dose of radiation given and whether you also receive other treatments, such as chemotherapy. Potential side effects include:
Caring for Yourself During Treatment
- There are about 450 new cases of bladder cancer each year in Ireland
- It is the 8th most common cancer in men and the 12th most common in women
- The 5 year survival rate is over 60% in Ireland
The bladder is located in the pelvis. It collects and stores urine and has a muscular wall that allows it to contract and expand.
- About 90 percent of bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma account for the rest.
- Cancer that is only in the bladder lining is called superficial bladder cancer. More than 75 percent of bladder cancer is diagnosed as a superficial disease and has an excellent survival rate.
- Invasive bladder cancer penetrates the layers of muscles in the bladder and is more likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment options are based on the type of cancer, your age and your overall health. Bladder cancer, if caught early, can often be cured. The main treatments include:
- Surgery by an urologist to remove the cancer or possibly part or all of the bladder.
- Radiation therapy where a radiation oncologist uses high-energy X-rays to destroy the tumour.
- Chemotherapy where a medical oncologist uses drugs to eliminate the cancer. In some instances, drugs may be put directly into the bladder.
- Biologic therapy (also called immunotherapy) where doctors stimulate your immune system to fight the cancer.
Radiation Therapy Options for Bladder Cancer
Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, is the careful use of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer.
- Radiation therapy works within cancer cells by damaging their ability to multiply. When these cells die, the body naturally eliminates them.
- Healthy cells are also affected by radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way cancer cells cannot.
External beam radiation therapy involves a series of daily outpatient treatments to deliver radiation to the bladder. The radiation beam usually comes from a machine called a linear accelerator or linac. These treatments take around 10 to 15 minutes each, five days a week, for five to seven weeks.
- Before beginning treatment, you will be scheduled for a simulation to map out the area being treated. This will involve having a CT scan. You will also receive tiny marks on your skin, like a tattoo, to help the therapists precisely position you for daily treatment.
- To minimize side effects, the treatments are five days a week, Monday through Friday, for about six weeks. This allows doctors to get enough radiation into your body to kill the tumour while giving healthy cells time to recover each day.
- Conventional radiation therapy uses multiple radiation fields to target the cancer and keep radiation from healthy cells.
- 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) combines multiple radiation treatment fields to deliver precise doses of radiation to the lung tumor. Tailoring each of the radiation beams to focus on the tumor targets the cancer while protecting nearby healthy tissue.
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a form of 3D-CRT that modifies the radiation by varying the intensity of each radiation beam.
The side effects you might feel will depend on the part of your body being treated, the dose of radiation given and whether you also receive other treatments, such as chemotherapy. Potential side effects include:
- Bladder irritation with increased need to urinate.
- Bowel irritation with abdominal cramping, rectal pressure and diarrhoea are possible.
- Fatigue where you feel tired much of the time.
- You may experience a mild skin irritation, like a sunburn, and you may lose your pubic hair. Side effects are usually limited to the part of your body that receives radiation and should get better after treatment ends.
- Some patients may also suffer from sexual problems, such as vaginal dryness or difficulty achieving an erection.
- Most side effects should go away after the treatments end.
Caring for Yourself During Treatment
- Get plenty of rest during treatment.
- Follow your doctor’s orders. Ask if you are unsure about anything or if you have questions about your treatments and side effects.
- Tell your doctor about any medications or vitamins you are taking to make sure they’re safe to use during radiation therapy. The majority of medications are safe to take during radiotherapy
- Eat a balanced diet. If food tastes funny or if you’re having trouble eating, tell your doctor or dietician. They may be able to help you change the way you eat, regular small meals are often easier to eat than a large dinner.
- Treat the skin exposed to radiation with special care. Stay out of the sun, avoid hot or cold packs, and only use lotions and ointments after checking with your doctor or nurse. When cleaning the area, use only water and a mild soap.
- Fighting cancer is a tough struggle. Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family, support groups and your radiation oncology team for help.