Treatment for bladder cancer can be done with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy and the choice of treatment is made together with the oncologist after assessing the size, development and location of the cancer.
The chance of a cure for bladder cancer, in the early stages of the disease, is great, however, as the disease progresses and the cancer spreads, the possibility of cure decreases.
Thus, early diagnosis is very important and, therefore, it is essential to be aware of symptoms that may indicate bladder cancer such as pain when urinating, urgency to urinate, blood in the urine, urinary incontinence or belly pain, for example. See a more complete list of the symptoms of this cancer.
1. Surgery
Surgery is the most used treatment to cure this type of cancer, however, it only has good results when the tumor is in the initial stages and is located. Some surgical procedures that can be used are:
- Transurethral resection: consists of scraping, removing or burning the tumor when it is small in size and located on the surface of the bladder; Segmental cystectomy: consists of removing the part of the bladder affected by the tumor; Radical cystectomy: performed in the advanced stages of the disease and consists of total removal of the bladder.
In the total removal of the bladder, lymph nodes or other organs close to the bladder that may have cancer cells may also be removed. In the case of men, the organs removed are the prostate, the seminal vesicle and part of the vas deferens. In women, the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and part of the vagina are removed.
Some of the side effects of surgery for bladder cancer are blood in the urine, pain or difficulty urinating, impotence, loss of libido, early menopause in women or problems with ejaculation.
2. BCG immunotherapy
Immunotherapy uses drugs that stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells and is more used in cases of superficial bladder cancer or to prevent new cancer growth, after surgery, for example.
The remedy used in immunotherapy is BCG, a solution that contains live and weakened bacteria, which are introduced into the bladder through a catheter, which will stimulate the immune system to kill cancer cells. The patient should keep the BCG solution in the bladder for about 2 hours and the treatment is carried out once a week, for 6 weeks.
Side effects of BCG for bladder cancer may be urgent need and pain when urinating, blood in the urine, fever, tiredness and chills.
3. Radiotherapy
This type of treatment uses radiation to kill cancer cells and can be performed before surgery, to reduce the size of the tumor, or after surgery, to eliminate any cancer cells that may remain.
Radiotherapy can be done externally, using a device that focuses radiation on the bladder region, or by internal radiation, in which a device is placed in the bladder that releases the radioactive substance. Treatment is carried out 5 times a week for 5 or 7 weeks.
Side effects of radiation therapy can be:
- Burns of the skin in the region affected by the treatment; Nausea; Vomiting; Diarrhea; Urinary discomfort; Vaginal dryness; Erection difficulties.
Rest is important to recover from the side symptoms of radiotherapy, and some medications can also be taken to reduce some of the adverse reactions.
4. Chemotherapy
Bladder cancer chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells, and only one drug or combination of two can be used.
In patients with superficial bladder cancer, the doctor may use intravesical chemotherapy, in which the medicine is introduced directly into the bladder through a catheter, and remains on for several hours. This treatment takes place once a week, for several weeks.
In cases where cancer has invaded other organs, chemotherapy must be administered through the vein in several treatment cycles, which increases the risk of adverse reactions, such as hair loss, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores or loss of mouth. appetite, for example.
