Seeing blood in your urine can be scary, especially when you don’t know why it’s happening. While blood in the urine doesn’t always mean cancer, it is one of the most common bladder cancer symptoms and should be checked by a doctor.
Bladder cancer can also cause changes in how often you urinate, pain or burning when you go, or trouble urinating. These symptoms can have many other causes, but it’s important to find out what’s behind them.
What Are the Most Common Bladder Cancer Symptoms?
Blood in the urine is often the first sign of bladder cancer. Your urine may look pink, red, or brown. Sometimes, there’s so little blood that it’s only found during a urine test.
Other bladder cancer symptoms may include:
- Needing to urinate more often
- Feeling a sudden need to urinate
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Trouble urinating
- A weak urine stream
If bladder cancer has grown or spread, you may have back or pelvic pain. You may also lose weight without trying, feel tired, lose your appetite, or have swelling in your legs.
These symptoms don’t necessarily mean you have bladder cancer. UTIs, kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, and other urinary conditions can cause similar problems.
Can Bladder Cancer Cause Blood in Urine Without Pain?
Blood in the urine caused by bladder cancer may not hurt. You may otherwise feel completely normal.
The blood can also come and go. If it disappears, that doesn’t mean the problem has gone away.
If you see blood in your urine, even once, talk with your doctor. Testing can help determine what’s causing it.
What Is Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer starts when abnormal cells in the bladder grow out of control. Most bladder cancers begin in the cells that line the inside of the bladder.
The most common type is urothelial carcinoma. Less common types include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma.
Doctors may describe bladder cancer as non-muscle-invasive or muscle-invasive. This depends on whether the cancer has grown into the bladder muscle.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Bladder Cancer?
Your urologist will ask about your symptoms and medical history. Tests may include:
- Urine tests to check for blood or abnormal cells
- Cystoscopy to look inside your bladder with a small camera
- Biopsy to check a tissue sample for cancer
- Imaging tests to look at your bladder and urinary tract
If bladder cancer is found, you may need more tests to see how much it has grown or whether it has spread.
How Is Bladder Cancer Treated?
Treatment depends on the type and stage of bladder cancer. Surgery is common and may be used to remove the tumor or, in some cases, part or all of the bladder.
Other treatments may include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or medication placed directly into the bladder. Your care team will recommend treatment based on your specific cancer.
Talk to a Urologist About Bladder Cancer Symptoms
Blood in your urine doesn’t always mean cancer, but you shouldn’t ignore it. The same is true for ongoing changes in urination, such as pain, urgency, or trouble emptying your bladder.
If you’ve noticed what you think may be bladder cancer symptoms, Carolina Urology Partners can determine what’s causing them and whether you need further testing.
Schedule an appointment with a urologist in Charlotte, NC, or Columbia, SC to find out what’s causing your symptoms.
