In its early stages, bladder cancer can be easy to ignore or write off as something it isn’t – a UTI, a bladder infection, or other conditions that are commonly treated with an antibiotic.
This isn’t the only reason that makes bladder cancer the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States, but it can be a factor. This year, 82,290 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the United States, representing 4.2% of all new cancer cases.
May is World Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, a key time to highlight the importance of early diagnosis and of asking a health care provider about any symptom that seems out of the ordinary or is concerning.
Simon Kim, MD, a professor of urology in the University of Colorado Department of Surgery and CU Cancer Center member, addresses some commonly asked questions about bladder cancer risk, symptoms, and treatment.