Bladder Cancer Diagnosis and Surgery

Urology

11 Sep 2020 | 0 | by kjh

17150login-checkBladder Cancer Diagnosis and Surgery

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for bladder cancer in the United States for 2020 are:

About 81,400 new cases of bladder cancer (about 62,100 in men and 19,300 in women)

About 17,980 deaths from bladder cancer (about 13,050 in men and 4,930 in women)

  • Survival rates are improving with new minimally invasive treatment options available. The most common type of bladder cancer is transitional cell carcinoma, which can also affect the kidneys and ureters. 

Endoscopy procedures for bladder cancer do not involve cutting into the body and are appropriate for tumors that are confined to the bladder lining (superficial bladder cancer). A transurethral resection can be performed of a bladder tumor (TURBT) by removing a bladder tumor through a resectoscope (telescope with an electrified wire loop attached). TURBT is considered to be a first-line treatment for bladder cancer when it is confined to the lining of the bladder.

Laparoscopic cystectomy and partial cystectomy is a minimally invasive approach to bladder cancer. The standard approach for people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer is to remove the entire bladder (radical cystectomy). In men, the prostate is removed along with the bladder; in women, the urethra, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and anterior vaginal wall are removed.  In some cases, a tumor can be removed while preserving healthy tissue and bladder function using a nerve-sparing surgery and a combined modality approach.

Robotic cystectomies and partial cystectomies are among the most challenging surgeries to perform robotically. There are certain physicians who perform robotic cystectomy and urinary diversion (creating a new method for urine to exit the body following bladder removal). As with other minimally invasive procedures, robotic surgery offers less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, and quicker recovery for most patients.

Laser procedures can also help remove a bladder tumor. A cystoscope (telescope that allows for a laser fiber attachment) can be used and inserted into the urethra to vaporize the bladder tumor.

 

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