• Cancer

    Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Bladder cancer patients require ongoing surveillance

a medical illustration of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is a common type of cancer that begins in the cells of the bladder, a hollow muscular organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. Bladder cancer signs and symptoms can include blood in the urine, frequent or painful urination, and back pain.

"The vast majority of bladder cancer patients are diagnosed with cancer that's not imminently life-threatening, but they tend to be aggressive," says Dr. Mark Tyson II, a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon. "So bladder cancers, even if they're not life-threatening when they're first diagnosed, tend to recur."

For this reason, people with bladder cancer typically need follow-up tests for years after treatment to look for the recurrence of their cancer.

May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. On this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tyson discusses bladder cancer diagnosis, staging and treatment.

Watch: Dr. Tyson discuss bladder cancer staging and treatment options

Read the full transcript.


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For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.