Bladder cancer is a broad name given to several types of cancer found in the bladder area. These tumors are more common as you age and are found more often in American men than women. Many bladder cancers are diagnosed when the patient seeks medical care for blood in the urine, sometimes accompanied by painful or frequent urination. Treatment depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Often, more than one type of treatment will be used by the physician or cancer treatment team.
Radiation
Elderly men with bladder cancer may be treated by external beam radiation therapy. It is often given to men who cannot tolerate surgery. "Medical Surgical Nursing," written by Donna D. Ignatavicius and M. Linda Workman, explains that radiation may also be used to prolong life in cases of advanced bladder cancer that are considered incurable.
Surgery
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) describes several types of surgery that may be performed on an elderly man with bladder cancer. For early-stage cancer, a transurethral resection with fulguration is often appropriate. During this minor surgical procedure, a scope is inserted into the urethra and forwarded to the bladder where the physician either removes or burns the tumor. A cystectomy involves the surgical removal of part or all the bladder. A partial cystectomy, called a segmental cystectomy, is used when the tumor has not invaded beyond a portion of the bladder wall. This type of surgery allows the patient to maintain normal future urinary function. A radical cystectomy is performed when the entire bladder must be removed due to the tumor invading a large portion of the bladder wall or the nearby muscle. The nearby lymph nodes, prostate gland and seminal vesicles may also be surgically removed at this time. Patients receiving a radical cystectomy are surgically given a new route for urine to pass from the body.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy may be given into the vein or directly into the bladder via the urethra. The Merck Manual of Geriatrics website explains that doxorubicin, thiotepa and mitomycin-C are commonly given directly into the bladder for early stage bladder cancer. Advanced bladder cancer is often treated with combination intravenous drugs, such as cisplatin and vinblastine with either methotrexate or doxorubicin.
Biological Agents
Biological agents are sometimes given to elderly bladder cancer patients in an attempt to boost the body's natural defenses. A bacterium called bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is commonly instilled into the bladder for this purpose. It is used against early stage bladder cancers.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Bladder Cancer Treatment: Treatment Option Overview
- Merck Manual of Geriatrics: Bladder Cancer
- "Medical-Surgical Nursing"; Donna Ignatavicius, M.S., R.N. and Linda Workman, Ph.D., R.N.; 2002
