Metastatic bladder cancer is when bladder cancer spreads to other parts of the body, with a prognosis that depends on the location and speed of treatment. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, but in severe cases, palliative care may be recommended. Seeking a second opinion is advised.
Metastatic bladder cancer is bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. The prognosis for patients with bladder cancer that has metastasized can be difficult, depending on where additional cancers have developed and how quickly medical intervention is offered to treat the cancer. As with all cancers, the sooner the condition is recognized and treated, the better the outcome for the patient. Patients are also advised to seek a second opinion while undergoing cancer treatment, as research in this area moves quickly and a different doctor may have additional information or a different treatment approach that offers more hope.
This type of bladder cancer begins with a tumor in the bladder that spreads through the bloodstream and lymphatic system throughout the body, causing tumors to develop elsewhere in the body. When metastatic bladder cancer causes something like a liver tumor, that tumor is treated as bladder cancer and referred to as bladder cancer, because it contains cells from the original bladder cancer. These tumors may also be referred to as “secondary,” referring to the fact that they are not at the primary site of the cancer.
Doctors diagnose metastatic bladder cancer with the assistance of biopsies and medical imaging studies. At the time of diagnosis, it is estimated that 20% of bladder cancer cases are metastatic. Depending on where the cancer has spread, there are different treatment options. In most cases, patients are offered chemotherapy and radiation with the aim of shrinking the tumors. Surgery to remove tumors, including a cystectomy in which the bladder is removed, is another treatment option.
In some cases, metastatic bladder cancer can be managed very effectively, with tumors that respond to aggressive treatment shrinking. In other cases, the cancer may continue to spread or the tumors may not shrink. In cases where surgery is not an option in the surgeon’s opinion, metastatic bladder cancer can cause death within a year.
If the cancer’s spread is severe, the doctor may only recommend palliative care after discussing the situation with the patient. Palliative care focuses on maintaining patient comfort, but it doesn’t offer cures for cancer. Because the patient may only have about a year to live even with cancer treatment, palliative care is an option that tends to reduce pain and suffering. Patients who choose this option should only do so after discussing the problem with their doctors and family members.
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