Thursday, November 14, 2013

Bladder Cancer Research Projects May Uncover Helpful Information

By Bonnie Contreras


The bladder is a organ designed to store urine in a hollow space until it can be eliminated. It is situated in the lower part of the abdominal cavity. Most people feel an uncomfortable pressure when their bladder has become full to capacity. It is not wise to attempt to hold urine past this point, as infections can occur. Bladder cancer research is being conducted on an ongoing basis in order to determine if better treatments or a cure can be found for this devastating illness.

In much of the Western world as well as the United States, this kind of cancer is sixth most common among all types. However, if malignant growths in this organ are discovered early, the lives of many patients can be saved. Unfortunately, the disease is often spread to surrounding organs before it is discovered.

According to clinical studies, malignancies of this type occur more often individuals who smoke. This is due to the fact that sulfur, one of the numerous hazardous substances associated with smoking cigarettes, irritates the organ's lining, which in turn encourages inappropriate cell division. Fortunately, when a person stops smoking, his or her risk for developing this disease immediately decreases.

Symptoms of a urinary tumor include low back pain, frequency, pain upon urinating, and blood in the urine. It is essential to realize, however, that such symptoms are not always indicative of cancer. There is a broad range of other disorders associated with the same symptoms. The latter include infections, and conditions such as the presence of a cyst. Medical evaluation should be sought by anyone experiencing symptoms of this kind.

One may have a higher than average risk for the disease if he or she has a family history of cancer. However, this will still depend on whether the individual carries the gene for the condition. Studies are currently being completed to determine whether a diagnostic test can be designed to uncover this gene. If a person has the latter, proper screening on a continuous basis can be completed for the purpose of catching any malignancies while they are still in stage I.

For unknown reasons, the aforementioned disease affects more men than women. In addition, Asians and Africans are not at as high a risk for this disease as are Caucasians. The reason for this phenomenon is also yet unknown, although studies are underway to determine why individuals of certain races are at a higher risk than others.

As with all cancers, the risk of bladder malignancies increases as one ages. Because this is the case with most malignancies, it is difficult to determine exactly why older individuals are at a higher risk for bladder cancer. Some researchers believe that certain chemicals placed in food and beverages can also increase one's risk for cancer of this type if he or she consumes high amounts of certain beverages and processed foods.

Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are typically used to treat individuals with the aforementioned cancer. Additional bladder cancer research is now being completed for the purpose of finding a cure and more effective treatments for this catastrophic illness. Although uncommon, this type of cancer can be fatal. This is why anyone who notices the aforementioned symptoms should speak to his or her doctor without delay.




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