Facing a potential cancer diagnosis or experiencing alarming urinary symptoms can be an overwhelming and frightening experience. If you are dealing with unexplained changes in your urinary habits, such as seeing blood in your urine, it is completely normal to feel anxious. At Urology Specialists of Cypress, our compassionate team is here to support you every step of the way. We provide a comfortable, welcoming environment where we prioritize your health, offer advanced and accurate diagnostics, and create personalized treatment plans to help you move forward with confidence.
Bladder cancer is a disease that begins when cells in the bladder—the hollow, muscular organ in your lower pelvis that stores urine—start to grow out of control. It most commonly develops in the urothelial cells that line the inside of the bladder.
While bladder cancer can occur at any age, it is most frequently diagnosed in older adults. Fortunately, the majority of bladder cancers are caught in the early stages when the disease is highly treatable. Because bladder cancer has a tendency to recur, regular follow-up screening is an important part of long-term care.
Bladder cancer develops when the DNA in bladder cells mutates, causing the cells to multiply rapidly and form a tumor. While the exact cause of these cellular changes isn't always clear, several lifestyle and environmental factors can significantly increase your risk:
Smoking: Using tobacco is the single greatest risk factor, as harmful chemicals accumulate in the urine and damage the bladder lining over time.
Chemical exposure: Long-term exposure to certain industrial chemicals used in making dyes, rubber, leather, textiles, and paint.
Previous cancer treatments: Past radiation therapy to the pelvic area or the use of certain anti-cancer drugs.
Chronic bladder inflammation: Frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, or long-term use of urinary catheters.
Genetics: A personal or family history of bladder cancer.
Age and gender: The risk increases as you get older, and men are significantly more likely to develop bladder cancer than women.
In its earliest stages, bladder cancer may not cause any noticeable pain. The most common and prominent early warning sign is blood in the urine (hematuria), which may make your urine appear bright red, pink, or cola-colored. Sometimes, blood is only detected during a microscopic urine test.
Other symptoms of bladder cancer often mimic less serious conditions, like a UTI, and can include:
A frequent or urgent need to urinate
Pain or a burning sensation during urination
Having trouble urinating or a weak urine stream
Pelvic pain
Lower back pain on one side
Unexplained weight loss and fatigue (usually in more advanced stages)
Because these symptoms overlap with many common, non-cancerous urological issues, getting a professional evaluation is essential for an accurate diagnosis.
In addition to reviewing your medical history and symptoms, your Urology Specialists of Cypress provider runs diagnostic tests to identify the cause of your symptoms. This may include a urinalysis, imaging tests, and a cystoscopy—a procedure using a specialized, tiny camera to examine the inside of your urethra and bladder.
If they diagnose bladder cancer, your primary treatment plan will depend on the stage and grade of the cancer, as well as your overall health.
Bladder cancer treatments are available in several forms. For early-stage cancer, your provider may recommend surgery to remove the tumor, followed by intravesical therapy. Intravesical therapy involves placing medication—such as immunotherapy (like BCG) or chemotherapy—directly into the bladder to destroy remaining cancer cells and prevent them from returning.
For more advanced stages, treatments may include systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a more extensive surgery to remove part or all of the bladder (cystectomy). Your provider discusses the benefits of each approach and recommends the one that is most effective for your specific condition.
If you have noticed blood in your urine or are experiencing any troubling urinary symptoms, don’t hesitate to seek help at Urology Specialists of Cypress. Call the office or request an appointment today to ensure you get the expert evaluation and comprehensive care you need.