Our urologic cancer specialists are leaders in Connecticut for treating bladder cancer, from low-risk through high-risk bladder cancer.
When found and treated early, bladder cancer often can be treated successfully.
Most bladder cancer patients require surgery. Many are also treated with intravesical therapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. As a regional leader in cancer research, our specialists participate in studies to advance targeted therapies, gene therapy and photodynamic therapies being developed to treat bladder cancer.
A Multidisciplinary Team Treating Bladder Cancer
A urologic oncologist leads our team of bladder cancer specialists: medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and clinical research nurses. Patients requiring ostomies are cared for by a specialized post-surgical ostomy team.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Blood in the urine is the main symptom of bladder cancer. You may also feel a need to urinate often or feel pain on urination. (But it's important to note that these symptoms can also be caused by other problems, particularly urinary tract infections.)
Advanced Treatments for Bladder Cancer
Intravesical Therapy for Early Stage Bladder Cancer
Early stage bladder cancers may be treated with intravesical therapy, placing drugs directly into the bladder while sparing side effects for surrounding tissues. Immunotherapy, including Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy (BCG), is delivered this way as it directs the body’s immune system to attack low-stage bladder cancer. Some chemotherapies are also delivered with intravesical therapy.
Robotic Surgery Leaders
Our surgeons perform over 60 robotic bladder removal procedures (or cystectomies) every year. They pioneered robotic surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System, which guides surgical instruments through small incisions using remarkably precise robotic arms. With a three-dimensional computerized view of even the smallest surgical field, surgeons operate with exacting precision to preserve sexual function and continence. Patients also benefit from less blood loss and faster recovery times.
Reconstructive Surgery Expertise for Bladder Cancer Patients
Our bladder cancer surgeons can often reconstruct the urinary system by using a patient’s healthy intestinal tissue. Using advanced surgical techniques, they can create orthotopic neobladders that route urine back into the urethra and make urination nearly normal. Continent diversion with catheterizable pouches and ileal conduits are other common surgical techniques used for bladder cancer.
Integrative Treatments
Bladder cancer patients are fully supported with a range of therapies that can include biofeedback and other integrative therapies, educational seminars and a patient support group that helps patients and their families know what to expect during treatment and at home.
Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
- Smoking increases the risk of bladder cancer.
- Bladder cancer is seen most often in Caucasian men over the age of 40.
- Some industrial chemical exposures can cause bladder cancer, particularly in wood, rubber and textile industries.
- Eating too much fat and fried meat increases bladder cancer risks.
- A parasite, rare in our area, that causes schistosomiasis can increase the risk of bladder cancer. It's found most often in developing countries.
How Bladder Cancer is Diagnosed
Part of how bladder cancer is diagnosed is testing your urine for blood or abnormal cells. If bladder cancer is suspected, you will have a test called a cystoscopy, which allows your urologist to see inside your bladder using a thin, lighted tool. A biopsy can be done with this tool, in which small tissue samples are removed and evaluated under a microscope to determine if cancer cells are present.