Key Points
- After bladder cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the bladder or to other parts of the body.
- There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
- Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
- The following stages are used for bladder cancer:
- Stage 0 (Papillary Carcinoma and Carcinoma in Situ)
- Stage I
- Stage II
- Stage III
- Stage IV
After bladder cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the bladder or to other parts of the body.
The process accustomed establish if cancer has unfold inside the bladder lining and muscle or to alternative elements of the body is termed staging. the data gathered from the staging method determines the stage of the unwellness. it's necessary to understand the stage so as to arrange treatment. the subsequent tests and procedures is also utilized in the staging process:
- CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. To stage bladder cancer, the CT scan may take pictures of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
- Chest x-ray : An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.
- Bone scan : A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner.
There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
Cancer will unfold through tissue, the liquid body substance system, and also the blood:
- Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
- Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
- Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.
Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
When cancer spreads to a different a part of the body, it's referred to as metastasis. Cancer cells separate from from wherever they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the body fluid system or blood.
- Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
- Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
The growth|malignant tumor|malignant neoplasm|tumor|tumour|neoplasm|malignancy|malignance} is that the same form of cancer because the primary tumor. as an instance, if bladder cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells within the bone are literally bladder cancer cells. The illness is pathological process bladder cancer, not bone cancer.
The following stages are used for bladder cancer:
Stage 0 (Papillary Carcinoma and Carcinoma in Situ)
In stage 0, abnormal cells square measure found in tissue lining the within of the bladder. These abnormal cells could become cancer and unfold into close traditional tissue. Stage zero is split into stage 0a and stage 0is, reckoning on the kind of the tumor:
- Stage 0a is also called papillary carcinoma, which may look like tiny mushrooms growing from the lining of the bladder.
- Stage 0is is also called carcinoma in situ, which is a flat tumor on the tissue lining the inside of the bladder.
Stage I
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| Stage I bladder cancer. Cancer has unfold to the layer of animal tissue next to the inner lining of the bladder. |
In stage I, cancer has shaped and unfold to the layer of animal tissue next to the inner lining of the bladder.
Stage II
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| Stage II bladder cancer. Cancer has spread to the layers of muscle tissue of the bladder. |
Stage III
In stage III, cancer has spread from the bladder to the layer of fat surrounding it and may
have spread to the reproductive organs (prostate, seminal vesicles, uterus, or vagina).
Stage IV
In stage IV, one or more of the following is true:
- Cancer has spread from the bladder to the wall of the abdomen or pelvis.
- Cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes.
- Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, bone, or liver.






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