Chemotherapy For Bladder Cancer

Different methods are used for people with bladder cancer. It is depended on the stage of cancer.
Most common bladder cancer treatment options are surgery, radation therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In some cases the doctors combines two or more treatment options, like radiation therapy with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Surgeries are mostly performed in the early stages.

Signs and symptoms :
1. Blood in the urine.
2. Pain during urination
3. Appetite or weight loss
4. Low-grade fever
5. Pain in the pelvic area or lower back



In the early stage when the bladder cancer is identified, then the tumor is removed through the urinary opening, or urethra. A small surgical instrument called laparoscope is used to find the tumor and remove the tumor. This surgery is also known as transurethral resection. If the bladder cancer has spread the bladder has to be removed partially or sometimes completely. Partial bladder removal(cystectomy) is done for patients with less invasive bladder cancer. This usually occurs at the top of the bladder. In men, Radial cystectomy often includes removal of the prostate, the lymph nodes near the hip and semen conducting tubes. For women, a radial cystectomy includes removal of reproductive organs, part of vagina and the urethra.

Why Chemotherapy ?
You may have chemotherapy in one of the following ways

• During radiotherapy treatment (concommitant chemoradiation)
• Before radiotherapy
• Before or after surgery

If you have chemotherapy before your operation or radiotherapy, it can shrink the tumour and aims to make the treatment work better.Clinical trials have shown that chemotherapy before surgery, or before or during radiotherapy, can lower the risk of bladder cancer coming back in the future.

Chemotherapy is often used in combination with surgery. The treatment affects not just the bladder, it affects the entire body. The patients who have undergone chemotherapy would experience nausea, bruising, headache and fatigue. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill the cancer cells. Chemotherapy uses anti cancer or cytotoxic drugs to destroy cancer cells. They work by disrupting the growth of cancer cells. One or more liquid drugs are introduced into the bladder and left for several hours and drained out later.