Medical professionals use staging to indicate how far bladder cancer has progressed and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or distant tissue sites. Stages are assigned once a pathologist has analyzed tissue samples to determine if cancer is present. Survival rates for bladder cancer depend on the stage of the cancer and what type of treatment has been administered.
Stage 0a
Stage 0a of bladder cancer is known as a noninvasive papillary carcinoma. In this stage of the disease, the cancer has grown toward the center of the bladder but there is no muscle or connective tissue involvement. There is no spread to the lymph nodes or metastasis to other organs in this early stage of the disease. The American Cancer Society cites a 98 percent 5-year survival rate for people diagnosed with stage 0a cancer.
Stage 0is
Stage 0is of bladder cancer involves the presence of flat carcinoma in situ (CIS). In this stage of the disease, the cancer is only growing on the lining of the bladder. There is no muscle involvement, no spread to the connective tissues and no growth into the hollow part of the bladder. No metastasis to other tissues or spread to the lymph nodes has occurred. This stage of cancer also has a 98 percent 5-year survival rate.
Stage I
In stage I bladder cancer, the cancer has spread into the connective tissue that is underneath the lining of the bladder. However, it has not grown into the thick muscle of the bladder wall. This stage of bladder cancer has no lymph node involvement or metastasis into other body tissues. The American Cancer Society reports an 88 percent 5-year survival rate for people with stage I bladder cancer.
Stage II
In stage II bladder cancer, there is still no lymph node involvement or metastasis of the cancer to other sites. However, the cancer has begun to grow into the thick muscle of the bladder wall. It is contained within the bladder wall and has not reached the fatty tissue around the bladder. People with stage II cancer have a 63 percent 5-year survival rate.
Stage III
Even though stage III is a more advanced stage of bladder cancer, there is still no metastasis to other tissues or spread of the cancer to the lymph nodes. In this stage of the disease, the cancer has spread into the fatty tissue that surrounds the bladder. It may also have spread to reproductive organs such as the prostate and uterus. In this stage of cancer, the cancer does not grow into the wall of the abdomen or pelvis. The 5-year survival rate for this stage of bladder cancer is 46 percent.
Stage IV
Stage IV is the most advanced stage of bladder cancer. The cancer has spread from the bladder wall into the fatty tissue surrounding the bladder and to the pelvic or abdominal wall. In this stage of cancer, there is either a spread of the cancer to the lymph nodes or metastasis of the cancer to other tissues. Lymph node involvement and metastasis may both be present. Bladder cancer may spread to the liver or lungs at this stage of the disease. The 5-year survival rate for stage IV cancer is 15 percent.
