Once bladder cancer is confirmed and the type and stage have been identified, a treatment plan is developed. Treatment depends on the type and stage of bladder cancer, as well as general health.
Surgery is the most common type of treatment for bladder cancer. Surgery can be as minor as removing small superficial tumors during a cystoscopy to surgery to remove the entire bladder (cystectomy). Surgery may be done alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation.
Chemotherapy may be recommended for both early and advanced stages of bladder cancer, but they may be administered differently. Chemotherapy treatment for those with early stage bladder cancer is delivered directly into the bladder. This is called intravesical chemotherapy. More advanced cases of bladder cancer that have spread to beyond the bladder are treated by standard intravenous (IV) chemotherapy.This type of treatment uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can be prescribed to treat the disease and also to ease symptoms caused by the bladder cancer (palliatively). This type of treatment uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Although radiation therapy can damage nearby healthy cells, cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Healthy cells that are damaged during radiation are resilient and are often able to fully recover.
source : cancer.about.com
Surgery is the most common type of treatment for bladder cancer. Surgery can be as minor as removing small superficial tumors during a cystoscopy to surgery to remove the entire bladder (cystectomy). Surgery may be done alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation.
Chemotherapy may be recommended for both early and advanced stages of bladder cancer, but they may be administered differently. Chemotherapy treatment for those with early stage bladder cancer is delivered directly into the bladder. This is called intravesical chemotherapy. More advanced cases of bladder cancer that have spread to beyond the bladder are treated by standard intravenous (IV) chemotherapy.This type of treatment uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells.
Radiation therapy can be prescribed to treat the disease and also to ease symptoms caused by the bladder cancer (palliatively). This type of treatment uses certain types high energy beams of radiation to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Although radiation therapy can damage nearby healthy cells, cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Healthy cells that are damaged during radiation are resilient and are often able to fully recover.
source : cancer.about.com
