Types of Bladder Cancer

According to statistics, in the United States, bladder cancer is estimated to occur in 20 per of every 100,000 people per year and is thought to be a higher occurrence among diabetics.

There are three different types of bladder cancer that begin in cells in the lining of the bladder. These cancers are named for the type of cells that become malignant cancerous:

Transitional cell carcinoma begins in cells in the innermost tissue layer of the bladder. These cells are able to stretch when the bladder is full and shrink when empty. Most bladder cancers (around 90 percent) begin in the transitional cells.

Squamous cell carcinoma begins in thin flat cells that may form in the bladder after a long bout of infection or irritation.

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Adenocarcinoma begins in the glandular cells that form in the bladder after long-term irritation and inflammation.

There are different stages for bladder cancer:

Stage 0 (zero) is the earliest and least serious stage. The cancer is growing in the inner lining layer of the bladder only. Bladder cancer in the early stages is frequently curable.

In Stage I, the cancer has grown into the layer of connective tissue under the lining layer of the bladder but has not reached the layer of muscle in the bladder wall. The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.

For Stage II, the cancer has grown into the thick muscle layer of the bladder wall, but it has not passed completely through the muscle to reach the layer of fatty tissue that surrounds the bladder. At this point the cancer has not spread to lymph nodes or to distant sites.

At Stage III, the cancer has grown completely through the bladder into the layer of fatty tissue surrounding the bladder. It may have also spread into the prostate, uterus, or vagina but not the lymph nodes.

For Stage IV, the cancer has grown through the bladder wall and into the pelvic or abdominal wall. Stage IV is the most advanced and the most serious.

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Is there a connection between your type 2 diabetes medication and being diagnosed with bladder cancer? If you don’t know – ask Monheit Law to uncover the facts and find out what your legal options are.