Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Bladder Cancer - Symptoms & Evaluation

Bladder Cancer - Symptoms & Evaluation

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Bladder cancer most commonly presents with blood in the urine, or hematuria. Hematuria is classified as either visible by eye, which is gross hematuria, or under microscopic laboratory examination, microscopic hematuria. Depending on the amount of blood in the urine, the urine may appear yellow, orange, brown, dark or bright red. Bladder cancer may cause burning or discomfort with urination and/or more frequent urination. In addition, bladder cancer may cause obstruction of the urinary system, leading to flank pain and discomfort. Advanced bladder cancer may present with weight loss, fatigue, difficulty or inability to urinate, abdominal and/or lower back pain.

Evaluation for hematuria should include cystoscopy and imaging of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder with CAT scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A positron emission tomography (PET) scan may also be helpful at times to identify whether cancer has spread beyond the bladder. In addition, cystoscopy must be performed to visualize the lining of the bladder and urethra. Suspicious lesions visible on cystoscopy are biopsied to adequately determine the grade and stage of bladder cancer, if present. The depth of cancer invasion into the layers of the bladder wall determines the available treatment options.

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Dr. David Michael Nanus, M.D.

David M. Nanus

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Health Plan, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan]
Dr. Douglas S. Scherr, M.D. | Weill Cornell Medicine

Douglas Scherr

M.D.

646.962.6363
646.962.6363
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), GHI, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, United Empire Plan, United Healthcare Commercial
Brady Urologic Health Center
Dr. Scott T. Tagawa, M.D., MS

Scott T. Tagawa

M.D.

646.962.2072
646.962.2072
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Emblem Select Care, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, GHI, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicare], Medicaid, Medicare, Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Medicare], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], POMCO, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, United Empire Plan, United Health Care, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE Medicare, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
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