Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the bladder become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumor. The bladder is a muscular organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine until it can be removed (excreted) from the body. Bladder cancer may cause blood in the urine, pain during urination, frequent urination, the feeling of needing to urinate without being able to, or lower back pain. Many of these signs and symptoms are nonspecific, which means they may occur in multiple disorders. People who have one or more of these nonspecific health problems often do not have bladder cancer, but have another condition such as an infection. Bladder cancer develops when tumors form in the tissue that lines the bladder. There are several types of bladder cancer, categorized by the type of cell in the tissue that becomes cancerous. The most common type is transitional cell carcinoma (also known as urothelial carcinoma); others include squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. If the tumor spreads (metastasizes) beyond the lining of the bladder into nearby tissues or organs, it is known as invasive bladder cancer.