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Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer



If you exhibit any of these symptoms you should consult your physician at once. Many people with episodic hematuria tend to relax after the episode of bleeding has passed. This can only delay diagnosis and treatment and affects the prognosis for recovery.

If your physician makes a diagnosis of bladder cancer, you will be required to take certain tests. Tests used to diagnose bladder cancer include:

• Cystoscopy: A local anesthetic is usually administered after which your physician will insert a long narrow tube (cytoscope) through the urethra. The cytoscope consists of a lens with a fiber-optic lighting system. It allows the physician to inspect the inside of the bladder and the urethra and look for the presence of tumors.

• Imaging Tests: A dye may be injected into your veins allowing the physician to inspect the urinary tract using x-ray imaging. A computerized tomography (CT) scan allows the physician to get a better look at the urinary tract and the surrounding tissues.

• Biopsy: A small sample of tissue is collected from the bladder for analysis. This is usually done at the same time as the cystoscopy. The procedure is also referred to as transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and is performed under general anesthesia.

• Urine Cytology: This process involves the examination of a urine sample under the microscope to identify cancer cells.

• Biomarkers: A simple urine test uses biomarkers like fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) and NMP 22 to detect bladder cancer cells. These tests are however, are not yet accurate enough to replace cystoscopy and blood cytology as diagnostic tools.