Symptoms & Diagnosis
Bladder cancer can feel like or lead to:
- Back pain
- Blood in your urine (hematuria)
- Frequent or painful urination
You know your body, and if you think you are feeling any bladder cancer symptoms, reach out to your primary care doctor so we can learn more about what might be causing them.
We often diagnose bladder cancer through cystoscopy, a procedure where we use a scope to look inside your bladder and urethra. We also use urine tests and imaging exams such as CT scans, MRIs or PET scans to help us learn more about your condition. As a final step, your care team gathers tissue samples (biopsies).
If these exams are abnormal, we refer you for a cancer consultation with an oncologist who specializes in treating bladder cancer. This expert reviews your test results and medical history to learn more about your diagnosis and form a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
We know learning you have bladder cancer can feel scary. That’s why we are committed to seeing you for a cancer consultation as quickly as possible — often within 48 hours — after your diagnosis so we can discuss treatment options, order additional tests and address any questions without delay.
Treatments
Your bladder cancer is unique, and so is the treatment plan we put together to eliminate it. You deserve a personalized care plan that meets your needs and specific type of bladder cancer. Each week, the Cancer Care team convenes a tumor board that brings together experts from across disciplines to collaborate on customized care plans for you. This collaboration has one common goal — to make sure you get the best possible care. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, including urologists, nephrologists, radiologists and pathologists who work alongside surgical, medical and radiation oncologists, is here to care for you through every part of your treatment.
Surgery
You may be a candidate for surgery, which is often one of the first treatments we recommend for bladder cancer. We can treat some bladder cancer with a scope inserted through the urethra (the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body) to shave off your bladder tumor. If your tumor has gone inside the wall of your bladder, our urologists can use robotic-assisted or laparoscopic cystectomy, a minimally invasive procedure, to remove it. After, we can perform urinary diversion or bladder reconstruction to restore any lost functions.
Radiation
In addition to surgery, your cancer care team may recommend radiation treatment to eliminate your bone cancer. Radiation oncologists at our Radiation Treatment Center have treated thousands of patients. Our state-of-the-art radiation treatments, including stereotactic radiosurgery, adaptive radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy, treat blood cancer with speed and precision.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a first-line treatment for many forms of blood cancer. We collaborate with you on the right combination of anticancer drugs, anti-nausea medicine and pain medication for your needs. El Camino Health is also at the forefront of hospitals using targeted therapy, a precise approach that finds a unique combination of drugs to combat your blood cancer. We analyze your cancer to learn about its protein and chemical makeup, then use the latest research to find which drugs will have the greatest impact fighting it.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, also known as biologic therapy, is a treatment that empowers your immune system to fight cancer by helping your body find and attack blood cancer cells. Our experts are skilled in using checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy to fight cancer.
Clinical Trials
We are always looking for the next opportunity to improve detection, ease treatment and find better cures for your bladder cancer. That’s why we collaborate with other medical centers and the National Cancer Institute on bladder cancer clinical trials like new kinds of immunotherapy, radiation therapy and innovative chemotherapy approaches.
If you’re interested in participating in this leading-edge research, talk to your care team to find a study that’s right for you.
Cancer Awards & Accreditations
Our superior Cancer Care has earned us a three-year accreditation as a comprehensive community cancer program from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Accreditation ensures that the care you receive right here in your community is high-quality and uses evidence-based, national treatment guidelines.
We’re also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner and committed to the highest surgery standards.
Patients rate us highly, too. Based on PressGaney patient satisfaction surveys, our “likeliness to recommend” score is over 90%, and we’ve won the top patient experience award multiple years in a row.
 |  |
Cancer Patient Stories
You are our inspiration. Hear how El Camino Health Cancer Center has helped other patients beat cancer — and how we can support you at every step of the way.
