Bladder Cancer Treatment in Delhi

Urinary Bladder is an organ in the urinary system which has a function of storage of urine. It can be affected by a variety of tumors (tumor is an abnormal growth of cells). These tumors can be benign or malignant; however malignant tumors are more common. The most common form of malignant tumor of the bladder is called transitional cell carcinoma.

This tumor occurs more frequently in persons working in the chemical industry and in smokers.

The common symptom is painless bleeding in the urine. It can also cause irritation and difficulty in passing urine. Rarely can it be asymptomatic?

The most simple test to diagnose it is an Ultrasound. Other sophisticated investigations like CT scan and MRI are required later to stage the disease.

 

Bladder Cancer Treatment

TURBT - this is the first step in the treatment of bladder cancer. In this operation, we insert a telescope into the urinary bladder and visualize the tumor. Then we resect it by using laser or current. The removed tissue is sent for histopathological examination to ascertain the nature, grade, and depth of the tumor.

Any subsequent treatment is based on the depth of the tumor, stage, and grade.

For superficial tumors, we usually administer intravesical BCG weekly for 6 weeks initially, followed by a maintenance protocol. Check cystoscopy is usually required every three months for at least two years as these tumors are known to recur.

Another medication used for intravesical instillation is mitomycin c.

For deep tumors, the treatment is more radical and can either be radical surgery or a combination of chemo and radiotherapy

Radical surgery involves removal of the entire bladder along with the seminal vesicles and prostate. The urine is either diverted into a neobladder or an ileal conduit. The Neobladder is a preferable option as it gives a good quality of life and patient has near normal bladder functions.

The ileal conduit is made from a small segment of intestine into which the ureters are implanted. This tube is brought out on the patient’s abdomen as a stoma and a urine collecting device is placed over it, which needs to be emptied periodically