What are the symptoms of bladder cancer?
The most common and important complaint of patients is blood in the urine. This complaint is observed in more than 90% of the patients. The most typical symptom of bladder cancer is intermittent and painless blood in the urine, containing clots.
Other possible complaints are burning during urination, need for urinating frequently, blood clots in the urine, and sometimes getting unable to urinate due to the accumulation of the clots in the bladder as a result of excessive bleeding.
What causes bladder cancer?
As in the case of all other cancers, it is hard to give an exact reason for bladder cancer. However, it is proven that some factors increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.
In history, bladder cancer is known as “chimney sweeps’ disease”. Inhaling chemicals in the chimneys has increased the occurrence of the bladder cancer.
The most important factor causing bladder cancer is smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products. This includes hookah, which is frequently smoked in our country.
Is there a difference between men and women in getting bladder cancer?
Although the reason is not known clearly, bladder cancer is more common in men.
Bladder cancers are seen in three female patients versus five male patients. That men smoke more or are exposed to chemicals may be the underlying reason for this difference. But, this is only an assumption. The reason of this difference is not clearly known.