Fight Bladder Cancer
Telephone: 0184 435 1621
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is where a growth of abnormal tissue, known as a tumour, develops in the bladder lining.
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is unexplained blood in your pee (urine) which is usually painless. The blood may be bright red or sometimes it may turn your pee dark brown. Contact your GP practice if you have noticed any blood when passing urine.
Other symptoms of bladder cancer, especially in those aged 45 or older, can include:
- Problems with passing urine – such as pain when you pee or having to pee more often which isn’t settling after treatment or keeps coming back.
- Tiredness or fatigue.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Fever or high temperature.
- Back pain – typically to the side of the spine between the ribs and the hip bones.
In most cases these symptoms will be a sign of something other than cancer, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI). However, if you are experiencing unusual, persistent symptoms, it’s always best to contact your GP practice to get checked as soon as possible.
expands the full quotation and moves focus to the start of the 2nd paragraph, so you can continue to read the full quoteIf you are worried about unexplained bleeding, an unusual lump, unexplained weight loss or something that doesn’t feel normal for you, we want to know. Don’t be embarrassed or sit at home worrying, give your GP practice a call. It probably won’t be cancer but if it is, finding cancer earlier can mean a much wider range of treatment options being available, and a better chance of living well again.
If you have symptoms, your GP practice wants to know. If it isn’t serious, the doctor or nurse can put your mind at ease. And if it is, finding out earlier means it’s more likely that treatments will be successful.
Many people put off getting symptoms checked as they’re worried they’ll be wasting the doctor’s or nurse’s time – or they might feel embarrassed. Remember, they see hundreds of patients every year and are here to help.
They will listen carefully to what you’ve noticed and ask some questions about your symptoms such as:
- Is it painful to pass urine (pee)?
- How frequently are you going to toilet? Do you feel an urgency to pass urine?
- Have you noticed any blood in your urine?
- Do you have other symptoms like fever, vomiting or kidney pain?
- They will also check any relevant medical background such as kidney stones or kidney or bladder cancers.
During a face-to-face appointment, a healthcare professional will usually go on to examine your abdomen. They may also take your blood pressure and ask for blood and urine samples. Further examinations may be required depending on your symptoms.
You will be referred to your local hospital if further tests, scans or examinations are required.
Real stories
Glen, a father of two, told his wife Laura that he’d noticed blood in his pee when he went to the toilet in the middle of the night, leading Laura to make an appointment with his GP practice the next day – something Glen admits he probably would have put off.
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Cancer Research UK
Telephone: 0800 800 4040