Bladder Cancer in Men

There’s one type of cancer that men don’t like to talk about – bladder cancer. Maybe it’s a touchy subject because it affects a bodily function; however, whatever the reason this type of cancer doesn’t get much press coverage needs to change. This is because thousands of men in the US are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 56,000 men will learn that they have bladder cancer this year. This is at a rate much higher than women. In fact, according to information supplied by the American Cancer Society (ACS), “Bladder cancer is more common among men than women and more common among whites than blacks. The chance of a man having this cancer is about 1 in 26. For women, it is about 1 in 86.”

No one knows for sure what causes bladder cancer, but smokers do develop it at twice the rate as non-smokers. And it is also known that the older a man is, the greater his chances of developing it. Arsenic and chemicals in the work place also increase a man’s chances of getting it, as does a strong family history of the disease.

The symptoms can vary from person to person, but one of the main signs is blood in the urine. There can also be recurrent urinary tract infections, and the man may have trouble urinating, including the need to “push” urine out. There may also be the development of a mass. As with other cancers, symptoms may be confusing. The NCI warns, “People with these symptoms should tell their doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.”

Once diagnosed, treatment must begin right away in order to aid recovery. If the cancer has not spread into the muscle, chances for surviving are higher. Surgery, which removes any tumors and cancerous cells, chemo-therapy injected into the bladder either before or after surgery, and even radiation can treat this type of cancer. After surgery, a catheter must be inserted, and a stent between the kidney and bladder can be necessary.

After my own father was diagnosed with bladder cancer a month ago, survivors have suddenly started to share their bladder cancer stories. People have stated that their family members have lived for as many as 15 years with this cancer, sometimes described as a “nuisance.” That gives me hope that my dad will live for a long time; however, I realized that this type of cancer isn’t hyped in the media, even though it affects thousands of individuals. Just like breast and ovarian cancers in women have come to the forefront in media, cancers that men suffer from need to be talked about as well. Why? Because more lives could possibly be saved with the proper education.

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer of any type, check out the NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237) and at LiveHelp (http://www.cancer.gov/livehelp). These sources can help you locate programs, services, and NCI publications (NCI).

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