Bladder cancer is the most common malignancy involving the urinary system. In the United States, there are estimated to be approximately 73,000 cases and 15,000 deaths each year due to bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer most commonly arises from the cells lining the inside of the bladder, called urothelial cells or transitional cells. Urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma is the predominant histologic type in the United States and Europe, where it accounts for 90 percent of all bladder cancers. In other areas of the world, non-urothelial carcinomas are more frequent. Much less commonly, urothelial cancers can arise in the renal pelvis, ureter, or urethra.

Living With Bladder Cancer
Many bladder cancer patients do not die of their disease but do experience multiple recurrences. As a consequence, there are a relatively large number of people alive with a history of bladder cancer. In middle-aged and elderly men, bladder cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy after prostate cancer.

Online Bladder Cancer Resources:

• National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/bladder
• Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network  www.bcan.org
• Bladder Cancer WebCafe www.blcwebcafe.org
• Urology Channel www.urologychannel.com/bladdercancer