Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Bladder cancer figures in the dubious top 10 list of cancers with an
estimated 70,530 new cases occurring in 2010 within the U.S. Bladder cancer is
about four times more likely to be diagnosed in men than in women and two times
higher in white men than in African-American men. An estimated 14,680 people
died of bladder cancer in 2010.
What are the types of bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer is classified on the basis of the appearance of its cells
under the microscope (histological type). The type of bladder cancer has
implications in selecting the appropriate treatment for the disease. For
example, certain types may not respond to
radiation and chemotherapy as well as
others. The extent of surgery required for maximizing the chances of cure may
also be impacted by the histological type of the cancer.
The more common types of bladder cancer and their relative incidence are
given below:
Urothelial carcinoma (previously known as "transitional cell carcinoma") is
the most common type and comprises 90%-95% of all bladder cancers. It is strongly
associated with cigarette smoking.
Adenocarcinoma of the bladder comprises
about 2% of all bladder cancers and is associated with prolonged inflammation
and irritation.
Squamous cell carcinoma comprises 1%-2% of bladder cancers and
is also associated with prolonged infection, inflammation, and irritation such as
that associated with longstanding stones in the bladder. In certain parts of
the Middle East and Africa (for example, Egypt), this is the predominant form of bladder
cancer and is associated with chronic infection caused by Schistosoma worm (a
blood fluke, that causes Schistosomiasis, also termed bilharzia or snail fever).
Other rare forms of bladder cancer include small cell cancer, pheochromocytoma, and
sarcoma.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Hydronephrosis is a condition in which the kidney swells, due to a backup of urine. Hydronephrosis generally occurs with another disease.Symptoms of hydronephrosis include nausea, vomiting, urinary tract infection, fever, painful urination, increased urinary frequency and urgency, flank pain, and swelling of the abdomen. Treatment of hydronephrosis depends on the cause.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Arsenic comes in two forms, inorganic and organic. Organic arsenic poisoning is usually not poisonous to humans; however, inorganic arsenic in large enough amounts can lead to shock and death. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, dark urine, vertigo, delirium, shock, and death. Treatment for arsenic poisoning includes Hemodialysis and a variety of drugs.
Schistosomiasis (snail fever), a disease caused by parasites, causes a variety of symptoms and signs, such as cough, rash and bloody diarrhea. Praziquantel is used in the treatment of schistosomiasis.
Tumor grade is a system used to classify cancer cells in how likely the tumor is to grow, and how abnormal they look under a microscope. Tumor grade is not the same as tumor stage. A biopsy is taken to determine if the tumor is benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Urethral cancer is a rare form of cancer that primarily affects white females, people over 60 years of age, and those who have stds or who experience frequent urinary tract infections. Symptoms and signs of urethral cancer include blood in the urine, interrupted urine flow and discharge from the urethra. Treatment involves surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Smokeless tobacco can have negative health effects such as cancers, poor oral health (gum disease and tooth decay), infertility, pregnancy complications, and nicotine addiction.
Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents raising their grandchildren. The majority of caregivers are middle-aged women. Caregiving can be very stressful, so it's important to recognize when it's putting to much strain on you and to take steps to prevent/relieve stress.
Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests
are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
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