4 COMMON SYMPTOMS OF BLADDER CANCER

Medically reviewed by Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD

Learning the symptoms of bladder cancer may help you identify this cancer in its earliest stages before it grows or spreads beyond your bladder. While other conditions may also cause similar symptoms, it's important to contact your healthcare provider to confirm or rule out bladder cancer if you notice these types of changes.

1. Blood in Urine

The most common initial symptom of bladder cancer is hematuria, or painless blood in the urine. It may cause your urine to appear pink, orange, or dark red intermittently over days or weeks.

However, bladder tumors may not always produce enough blood to be visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, there may only be enough blood to be detected by specialized tests that a healthcare provider performs. In that case, you may learn about this symptom during a urinalysis for another reason.

Many people postpone getting medical attention for this symptom because their bleeding may occur infrequently, for a short time, or without any pain. This may be especially true among women and those who menstruate, who may attribute any blood in their urine to their periods or urinary tract infections.

It's important to see your healthcare provider for any blood in your urine.

2. Painful Urination

Initial symptoms of bladder cancer may also include dysuria, which is painful urination or a burning sensation during urination. Bladder cancer may cause this pain for several reasons, including:

• Irritation of the bladder lining: Bladder cancer often grows in the urothelial lining, the deepest layer of your bladder. As these tumors grow, they may inflame or irritate the bladder wall, causing burning or stinging during urination.
• Inflammation and invasion: As tumors grow, they can obstruct other areas of your urinary tract, interfering with the normal bladder structure. This aggravation can trigger pain receptors in the urothelial lining during bladder contraction and urination.
• Secondary infections: A tumor in your bladder can interfere with normal urination and lead to a secondary infection, such as a urinary tract infection. This can compound the inflammation and pain.

3. Urinary Urgency

Bladder cancer may trigger a feeling that you need to urinate urgently, even though the amount of urine in your bladder may be low.

Sometimes called an overactive bladder, this symptom can occur as the bladder tumor grows inward and occupies more bladder space. This reduces the bladder's storage capacity and irritates the lining, which can make the bladder feel fuller sooner.

4. Frequent Urination

Frequent urination can be a symptom of bladder cancer as a bladder tumor grows larger and physically reduces the amount of urine your bladder can hold. This means you need to empty it more often, including overnight. Frequent urination differs from an overactive bladder, in which your bladder feels full despite low urine levels.

If you experience frequent urination with other symptoms, such as pain and urgency, it's important to see a healthcare professional.

Symptoms of Advanced Bladder Cancer

As bladder cancer progresses and metastasizes (spreads to other parts of the body), it may cause symptoms outside your bladder and urinary system. These symptoms, which may also be related to other less serious causes, can include:

• One-sided lower back pain
• Intense fatigue
• Bone pain
• Unintended weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling in your feet or legs

Many symptoms of bladder cancer can be related to other, noncancerous causes, such as an infection or kidney disease. That doesn't mean you should ignore them, however. It's important to see a healthcare provider for their evaluation if you have any symptoms involving chronic blood in your urine or urinary pain.

Read the original article on Verywell Health

2025-12-02T14:48:04Z