How is bladder cancer diagnosed?
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There are several tests that can be done to diagnose bladder cancer. If you have symptoms, including pain when urinating or blood in your urine, then your doctor will want to run some tests. When it is found early, bladder cancer is treatable. Your doctor will have you come in for a full physical examination. The exam may include rectal or vaginal exams so the doctor can determine if any tumors are present in the bladder and how large they might be. A urine sample will be taken and processed to look for blood in the urine and other abnormalities.
Another test that would enable the doctor to get a better look at the possibly cancerous cells is called a cystoscopy. A very slender tube with a camera and light on it are run into the bladder through the urethra, which is the channel through which urine leaves the body. This allow the doctor to see the lining of the bladder and would even make it possible for the doctor to take a sample of the tissue of the lining to do further tests for bladder cancer (biopsy). Other procedures like an MRI or a CT scan will help the doctor get good visual picture of the bladder to examine the possibility of any tumors.
There are several tests that can be done to diagnose bladder cancer. If you have symptoms, including pain when urinating or blood in your urine, then your doctor will want to run some tests. When it is found early, bladder cancer is treatable. Your... More -
Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:There are several tests that can determine the diagnosis of bladder cancer. The most efficient, non-invasive and inexpensive test is a urine cytology.
In this test, a sample of urine from the patient is evaluated for red and white blood cells (which fight urinary tract infections) and microscopic hematuria (blood in the urine) or infection. Hematuria is also a sign of a common urinary tract infection, so don’t assume you have cancer if your doctor tells you have blood in your urine. Further testing will be required first.
If abnormalities in the cytology test are found, a cystoscopy and potentially a biopsy can be performed.
There is also a series of imaging tests that can be done. These include:
•Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) - A contrasting dye is injected into the patient and then looked at with an X-ray. This X-ray shows the collecting system of the kidneys to determine the presence of any irregularities. This is good for seeing small cancer locations and the upper urinary tract, offering especially good detail of the kidneys, ureters and bladder.
•Computer axial tomographic (CAT) scanning - Another form of X-ray which creates a more detailed image of the body and organs. These are used to locate kidney or bladder blockages, determine the stage of the cancer (if any), whether the cancer has metastasized, and potential therapy.
•Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - Creates very high quality and detailed images of bladder tumor(s) in addition to adjacent organs such as the chest, pelvis and abdomen to locate any metastasis (spreading of the cancer).
•Ultrasound imaging - Looks primarily at the bladder and kidneys. It can locate small tract blocks and stones and also measure the bladder wall thickness.The "gold standard" for the evaluation of the lower urinary tract is direct visual examination called a cystoscopy. This is a routine outpatient procedure which examines the lower urinary tract and bladder lining using a specialized instrument called a cystoscope. Fiber optics allow for images of the bladder lining to be created. If abnormalities such as tumors, stones, or patches of abnormal appearing tissue are discovered during cystoscopy, a biopsy may be taken. The biopsy specimen is then evaluated for the presence of cancerous cells by a pathologist.
There are several tests that can determine the diagnosis of bladder cancer. The most efficient, non-invasive and inexpensive test is a urine cytology. In this test, a sample of urine from the patient is evaluated for red and white blood cells (which... More -
Dr. Patrick Maguire answered:Patients who are seen by their primary physician with complaints of blood in the urine are generally referred to a urologist, a surgeon specializing in the care of the genitourinary (GU) tract. The urologist will directly inspect the bladder visually by cystoscopy, a procedure where a very thin fiberoptic scope is inserted through the genitalia and urethra into the bladder. Biopsy of any suspicious lesions is performed. The most common type of bladder cancer is called transitional cell carcinoma, which accounts for 90% of all cases. Squamous cell carcinoma is less common, and adenocarcinoma is rare.Patients who are seen by their primary physician with complaints of blood in the urine are generally referred to a urologist, a surgeon specializing in the care of the genitourinary (GU) tract. The urologist will directly inspect the bladder... More -
Healthwise answered:To find out whether bladder cancer may be the cause of your urinary symptoms, your doctor will:
- Do a physical exam. This may include a rectal exam, a prostate exam for men, or a pelvic exam for women.
- Ask questions about your medical history, including:
- Your smoking history.
- Your possible exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
- Your family history of cancer.
- Order a urine test and urine culture to check for the presence of blood, infection and other abnormal cells.
Bladder cancer is classified by stage and grade. The stage is determined by the cancer growth in the bladder wall and how far it has spread to nearby tissues and other organs, such as the lungs, the liver or the bones. The grade of bladder cancer is determined by how the cancer cells look in comparison with normal bladder cells.
Your doctor finds out the stage and grade of your bladder cancer by gathering information from several tests, including:
- Biopsies from the cystoscopy.
- CT scan or MRI - These help find out if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, the lungs, the liver or other abdominal organs.
- Chest X-ray - This finds out if the cancer has spread to the lungs.
- Bone scan - This finds out if the cancer has spread to the bones.
The stage and grade of your cancer are important in choosing the right treatments.
Other tests - Other diagnostic tests that may be done include:- A complete blood count (CBC) to find out if you have anemia.
- A chemistry screen to evaluate kidney, liver and bone functions.
- An intravenous pyelogram or computed tomography (CT urogram) to look for a mass near the kidneys, ureters, or bladder.
To find out whether bladder cancer may be the cause of your urinary symptoms, your doctor will: Do a physical exam. This may include a rectal exam, a prostate exam for men, or a pelvic exam for women. Ask questions about your medical history,... More -
A diagnosis of bladder cancer includes urological tests and imaging tests. A complete medical history is used to identify potential risk factors, such as smoking, exposure to dyes and chemicals, and diet.
- Laboratory tests: Laboratory tests may include; NMP22®BladderChek®, which detects elevated levels of tumor markers in the urine. The NMP22®BladderChek® is a urine test used to detect elevated levels of a nuclear matrix protein (called NMP22®). Bladder cancer increases levels of this protein in the urine, even during early stages of the disease; a urinalysis, to detect microscopic hematuria; urine cytology, which detects cancer cells by examining cells flushed from the bladder during urination; and urine culture, to rule out urinary tract infection. Results of this test, which is noninvasive and is performed in a physician's office, are available during the patient's office visit. Studies have shown that when used with cystoscopy, NMP22®BladderChek® may be more effective than other diagnostic tests (such as urine tests or cystoscopy alone).
- Imaging tests: Various imaging tests may also be performed. Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is the standard imaging test for bladder cancer. In this procedure, a contrast agent (called a radiopaque dye) is administered through a vein (intravenously or IV) and x-rays are taken as the dye moves through the urinary tract. IVP provides information about the structure and function of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. Other imaging tests include computerized tomography (CT scan), magnetic resonance imagine (MRI scan), x-ray, and bone scan.
- Biopsy: If bladder cancer is suspected, cystoscopy and biopsy are performed. Local anesthesia is administered and a cystoscope is inserted into the bladder through the urethra to allow the doctor to detect abnormalities. A cystoscope is a thin, telescope-like tube with a tiny camera attached. In biopsy, tissue samples are taken from the lesion(s) and examined for cancer cells. If the sample is positive, the cancer is staged using the tumor, node, metastases (TNM) system.
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A diagnosis of bladder cancer includes urological tests and imaging tests. A complete medical history is used to identify potential risk factors, such as smoking, exposure to dyes and chemicals, and diet. Laboratory tests: Laboratory tests may... More -
Dr. Simon Hall of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:A urologist will use a cystoscopy to search for cancer in the bladder. In this video, Simon Hall, MD, a urologist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and director of the Deane Prostate Health and Research Center, explains the procedure.
A urologist will use a cystoscopy to search for cancer in the bladder. In this video, Simon Hall, MD, a urologist at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and director of the Deane Prostate Health and Research Center, explains the procedure. More
