Early Signs and Symptoms You May Have Bladder Cancer

The genitourinary system, also called the urogenital system, refers to organs involved in reproduction and urine production and excretion. Organs of the genitourinary tract include the fallopian tubes, prostate, kidneys, penis, urethra, and bladder. Your genitourinary tract can be attacked by cancer. Therefore, if you have Phoenix genitourinary cancer, one of the genital or urinary organs is affected. Some Genitourinary cancers are rare, while others are more prevalent. For example, according to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in America, causing more than 30 000 deaths in 2022. On the other hand, testicular cancer has led to the death of more than 450 Americans this year.

Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer that affects your genitourinary system significantly improve your chances of healing and recovery. And you can help in the detection of cancer if you can recognize the associated signs and symptoms. Still, consult an oncologist because symptoms may not indicate that you have genitourinary cancer.

Consequently, below are potential signs and symptoms you may have bladder cancer.

Blood in urine

If you have bladder cancer, there is a high chance that the first sign you will have is blood in your urine. Bleeding makes your urine appear red, pink, or orange. Hematuria is the presence of blood in the urine.

You can have gross hematuria or microscopic hematuria. Gross hematuria is when you can view blood in urine with your naked eyes. On the other hand, microscopic hematuria is when you cannot see urine in your blood because the traces are negligible. Thus your doctor will subject your urine to a lab examination.

At the beginning of bladder cancer, you can have blood in your urine and not experience other signs and symptoms like discomfort and pain and changes in bathroom habits. Moreover, the blood in your urine may vanish for weeks or months.

Blood in the urine may also be a symptom of other medical conditions such as bruised kidney, a urinary tract infection (UTI), or bladder stones. Also, some drugs and foods like beets, rhubarb, and berries may cause your urine to appear red. However, a change in your urine color due to medications and foods often disappears after a few days.

Changes in bathroom habits

If you experience a change in your regular bathroom habits, that indicates an existing irritation of your urinary tract, especially the bladder. You will need to urinate frequently, have an urgent urge to urinate, have difficulty urinating, or feel pain or a burning sensation when you pass urine.

Changes in bathroom habits may indicate you have cancer or a less serious health issue, like an overactive bladder.

You may not experience signs and symptoms of bladder cancer until it has become severe and spread to other sections of the body. As a result, symptoms of late-stage bladder cancer may include appetite loss, general fatigue, inflammation of the feet, urination difficulty, unintentional loss of weight, discomfort in the pelvic region, and pain affecting one side of your lower back.

Contact Arizona Center for Cancer Care today to schedule an appointment with a genitourinary specialist.