Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women with an annual incidence of approximately 18 cases per 100,000 in the United States. Bladder cancer is three times more common in men than in women and primarily affects older persons with 80% of cases in the 50-79 year age group.
When found and treated early, the chances of survival are very good with a five-year survival rate for early bladder cancer approximating 94%.
There are several different types of bladder cancer. Of all bladder cancers, 75% are superficial at the time of diagnosis. However, some types may spread through the lining of the bladder and invade its muscular wall. This is known as invasive bladder cancer. Invasive cancer may extend through the bladder wall and spread to nearby organs. Common sites of distant metastasis include the brain, bone, and lung.
The choice of treatment depends on the stage of the disease, the presence of other medical conditions, and the person's preferences. Treatment usually consists of a combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy.
This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:
Levelling-off of the risk of lung and bladder cancer in heavy smokers: an analysis based on multicentric case-control studies and a metabolic interpretation. Mutation Research. 2000
Carcinosarcoma of the urinary bladder--an aggressive tumor with diverse histogenesis. A clinicopathologic study of 4 cases and review of the literature. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2000
Bladder cancer: a review of diagnosis and management. Journal of the National Medical Association. 2000
N-acetyltransferase 2 and bladder cancer: an overview and consideration of the evidence for gene-environment interaction. British Journal of Cancer. 2000
New developments in the use of monoclonal antibodies in the therapy of genitourinary cancer. Bju International. 2000
Management of superficial bladder cancer with intravesical chemotherapy: an update. Urology. 2000
Gene therapy for bladder cancer. World Journal of Urology. 2000
Rethinking the secondary prevention of superficial bladder cancer: is there a role for retinoids?. Bju International. 2000
Urinary markers of malignancy. Clinica Chimica Acta. 2000
Gemcitabine in locally advanced and/or metastatic bladder cancer. Critical Reviews in Oncology-Hematology. 2000
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