How is bladder cancer treated?

General treatment information

Once your cancer has been diagnosed and staged, there is a lot to think about before you and your doctor choose a treatment plan. You may feel that you must make a decision quickly, but it is important to give yourself time to absorb the information you have just learned. Ask your cancer care team questions. You can find some good questions to ask in the section, "What should you ask your doctor about bladder cancer?"

You will want to weigh the benefits of each treatment against the possible risks and side effects. The best treatment for you will depend on the type and stage of your bladder cancer as well as your general health, age, and personal preferences.

If time permits, you may want to get a second opinion about your best treatment option. This can be especially helpful if you have several treatment choices. A second opinion can provide more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan that you choose.

The main types of treatment for cancer of the bladder are surgery, intravesical therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A type of treatment may be given alone or in combination with other types, depending on the stage of the cancer. Surgery, alone or with other treatments, is used in nearly all cases.

Surgery is often able to remove early bladder tumors successfully. But a major concern in people with early stage bladder cancer is that other parts of the bladder are at high risk for eventually developing bladder cancer as well. Removing the entire bladder (radical cystectomy) is one way to avoid this, but it can have major side effects. If the entire bladder is not removed, other treatments may be given to try to reduce the risk of new cancers. Whether or not other treatments are given, close follow-up is needed to look for signs of new cancers in the bladder.

The next few sections describe these different types of treatment for bladder cancer. This is followed by a discussion of the most common treatment options, based on the stage of the cancer.