What Is the Life Expectancy for Bladder Cancer?

What is a bladder?

The bladder can be described as a hollow organ, which is located next to the kidneys. The bladder functions by collecting all the urine coming from the kidneys through the ureter. It then stores the urine until it is removed from the body.

Having a bladder cancer causes an uncontrolled growth and development of cells in the bladder. The increasing production of cells is abnormal. Once the cells have grown, they can cause some complications in the person's body including pain.

What is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that affects the bladder of human beings. This type of cancer is known to be critical since it highly interferes with the effective functioning of the bladder and other organs connected to it.

Once you have this condition, you will start experiencing a number of symptoms that can be dangerous. Bladder cancer has claimed the lives of many people as a result of poor medication or lack of knowledge of the disease. To understand more about bladder cancer and its life expectancy, it is equally important to know the causes, symptoms, target organs, treatment options, risk factors, and preventive measures of the disease.

Bladder Cancer and Its Stages

Bladder cancer is a disease that can have varying symptoms and severity according to its stage. The estimated life expectancy of people who are diagnosed with bladder cancer is dependent on their condition and treatment.

The stages of bladder cancer have different levels of effects to the patient. Although living with bladder cancer can be difficult and challenging, do not lose hope as some of the stages of bladder cancer can be treated.

If people with bladder cancer receive treatment early on the first stage of cancer, the symptoms can be neutralized. The stages of bladder cancer usually depend on the formation of cancer in other parts of the body. If the first stage is managed early, the spread of cancer can be stopped.

Expectancy Rate in Relation to Risk Factors

In most cases, the development of bladder cancer from one stage to another is due to having the following risk factors:

• Age - As people grow older with the disease, their bodies become weaker to fight off infections. Moreover, being diagnosed with the disease in old age lowers the rate of survival.

• Family history - Having a history of bladder cancer within the family can increase the people's risk of getting the same type of cancer.

• Occupational exposure - According to a scientific research, people who are exposed to certain chemicals can increase their risk of developing bladder cancer. Some of these chemicals can also increase the effects of cancer in the body. These are the chemicals that are contained in dyes, metals, paints, as well as petroleum products.

• Genetic mutations - a genetic mutation is a big factor in cancer determination. If there is a genetic mutation, this means that most of your functions are altered. Having genetic mutations in the bladder can result in either positive or negative effects. The negative effects will reduce the survival rate of a person with bladder cancer.

Expectancy and Survival Rates 

An expectancy rate can be termed as the same as survival rate. However, a survival rate can be given in terms of a certain duration of time, whereas an expectancy rate is mostly in terms of a person's whole life. Bladder cancer is a disease that affects many people differently. Hence, determining its expectancy rate can be difficult. Nevertheless, looking at the disease's survival rate can give the right answers.

Survival rates are figures that give you how many people have survived with a certain similar disease after diagnosis and for how long. Through this, one can be able to estimate the expectancy rate of a person living with the disease.

In the case of bladder cancer, it happens in stages, which means that every stage has a different effect on the patient.

Bladder Cancer Survival Rates

The survival rates for a certain period of time depend on the number of people who are diagnosed and treated during the same period of time. The following are some of the data on the survival rates of people who have been treated and lived for a different number of years:

• For patients treated five years ago, the survival rate is estimated to be at 77%.
• For those who underwent treatment ten years ago, it may be estimated to be at 70%.
• For people who had been treated fifteen years ago, the survival rate will be placed at an estimate of 65%.

Since bladder cancer occurs in stages, other statistics will also place their survival rates on patients based on the stages of their cancer. Here, we will look at patients who had been treated five years ago.

• For those whose cancer was at stage 0, their survival rate will be estimated to be at 98%.
• For patients who had stage I, their survival rate is placed at 88%.
• For stage II, the estimate is at 63%.
• For patients with stage III cancer, the estimate of their survival is at 46%.
• Finally, for those whose cancer was at stage IV, their survival rate is estimated to be 15%.

It is important to note that the above statistics are only estimates. It is possible for any patient to surpass the above estimates and live a longer life. In case you happen to have worries and questions that needed to be answered, it is advisable that you talk to your doctor. Consulting a doctor will help you get more factual data, as the doctor will have the correct diagnosis of your condition.

However, the higher the stage of cancer, the more adverse effects will be experienced by the affected individual. It is better that you visit a doctor in case you experience any unusual symptoms that seem connected with bladder cancer.

Your cancer will be easier to treat if you are diagnosed at an earlier stage. It will also improve your chances of survival. Recurrence of cancer attacks may threaten your survival rate levels, so discuss with your doctor about treatment options that are more likely to minimize the chances of cancer from coming back again.

The Bottom Line

The bladder is a hollow organ in the human body that temporarily stores urine to be released later through the urethra. Bladder cancer usually affects adults and seniors. However, it can also occur at any age. In some cases of bladder cancer, the bladder has to be removed.

Cancer is a disease that interferes with the human cycle of life. Bladder cancer affects a person's social life, sexual life, self-esteem, and life expectancy levels. Being diagnosed with cancer can also cause psychological problems to people. When this happens, people with bladder cancer are recommended to see a therapist, who will help them deal with their condition. 

For those whose sex life seems to be going south, they can seek help from doctors on what they can do to improve it. Spouses should be supportive of their loved ones in order to make them feel loved and in turn boost their self-esteem. Moreover, always be positive about future expectations. You'll never know, things may turn out better than expected.