Understanding Bladder Cancer: Types, Symptoms & Treatment

Author: Jessica Lloyd
Senior Vulvovaginal Specialist Naturopath | BHSc(N) | ISSVD, ISSWSH, BSSM, ATMS

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Bladder cancer comes in several forms, but the most common is called a transitional cell (urothelial) carcinoma.

Symptoms of bladder cancer

Blood in the urine (may be visible or only microscopic)
Frequent urination
Urgent urination
Burning when urinating
Possibly urinary obstruction causing pain
Pus in the urine
Pelvic pain in advanced cases
Possible pelvic mass

Who gets bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is more common in men than women, and the older you are, the higher the risk. Bladder cancer in smokers is common. Anyone on long-term chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide is at risk.

Anyone with chronic irritation of the bladder is at further risk, for example, from long-term use of catheters. Certain chemical exposures can also increase risk.^1,2

Types of bladder cancer

Transitional cell carcinoma (urothelial carcinoma) accounts for over 90 per cent of bladder cancers. The most common of these is the papillary carcinoma, which is usually close to the surface and grows outwards. Sessile tumours are more invasive and dangerous.

Squamous cell carcinomas are less common and most often occur in people with a bladder parasite or long-standing irritation.³
Adenocarcinomas may occur as tumours that have not become cancerous.⁴

Bladder tumours recur frequently, either at the same site or in another area of the bladder. Bladder cancer often spreads to the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and bones.

Diagnosing bladder cancer

Diagnosis is done via cystoscopy – a thin tube with a camera on it inserted into the bladder via the urethra – and a biopsy taken. The cells (or urine) are then observed under a microscope to check for malignancy, though urine tests are not done in isolation because malignancy may not show in the urine.

Further biopsies may be taken, including of muscle tissue. Other testing may be done to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. A rectovaginal examination may be done. ⁵

Staging of bladder cancer (AJCC/TNM)

Staging of bladder cancer is done based on the stage of the tumour growth, whether it is invasive, whether the local lymph nodes have been affected, and next if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Treating bladder cancer

Chemotherapy directly into the bladder is the treatment of choice, as well as the removal of the cancer or tumours.^6,7 A cystectomy (complete removal of the bladder) may be recommended for invasive cancers. ^8,9 Other treatments may be recommended, like immune system treatments directly into the bladder.

Treatment may continue for one or two years, but this will depend mainly on the type of cancer and the stage it’s at. New advances in diverting urine and creating a ‘new’ (neo) bladder are becoming more common and can be appropriate in many cases.

Some versions of the neobladder act like a normal bladder, and urinating can be done more naturally using the pelvic floor muscles and abdominal pressure, using the urethra. Some incontinence may occur at night, though.^10,11 An external stoma may also be connected (an outside-the-body bag). Radiation therapy may be appropriate.

Outcomes (prognosis) of bladder cancer

Superficial forms of bladder cancer (stage Ta or T1) typically do not cause death. Stage Tis (carcinoma in situ) is often a more aggressive form of bladder cancer, and for anyone with invasive cancers that have crept into the muscle wall, the survival rate is about half.

Chemotherapy can improve results. Anyone with progressive or recurrent invasive bladder cancer or squamous cell carcinoma/adenocarcinoma does not have positive outcomes. This is because they are typically discovered at a late stage when treatment is less effective. ^12,13