Bladder Cancer Treatments: What to Know

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on October 21, 2024

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How Is Bladder Cancer Treated?

If you have bladder cancer, there are several options for treatment. Which one is best for you depends on a number of things, including your age, how much your cancer has spread, and any other health conditions you have.

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Surgery

Many people with bladder cancer need surgery. For cancer that's in the early stages, the most common surgery is transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). It's a procedure used to take samples of tissue from inside your bladder to find out if you have cancer there, or if a tumor has spread, or to take out a tumor.

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Cystectomy

In this type of surgery, your doctor removes part of your bladder or all of it. If the cancer has spread farther than your bladder, the surgeon can also remove nearly reproductive organs and structures.

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Intravesical Therapy

This treatment can be used in early-stage bladder cancer. Your doctor uses a catheter to inject liquid medication right into your bladder. They will choose between two types of medication: immunotherapy or chemotherapy ("chemo").

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Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Your doctor may give you chemo in pill form or through an IV. That means the medication travels through your bloodstream to other parts of your body. It can kill cancer cells that may have spread beyond your bladder. If you're having surgery, you may get chemo before the procedure. It helps shrink tumors and makes the surgery safer.

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Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells. It works for both early-stage and advanced bladder cancers and can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.

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Immunotherapy

This treatment uses your immune system to attack the cancer. It helps your immune system recognize cancer cells as dangers and launch a stronger response against them. That can shrink tumors or stop them from growing.

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Clinical Trials

Major drug companies research and develop new medications and treatments for bladder cancer that must be shown to be safe and effective before doctors can prescribe them to patients. Participating in a trial may give you access to treatments that are even more effective than current treatments.

This content was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

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American Cancer Society: “Bladder Cancer Treatment,” “Bladder Cancer Surgery,” “Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer,” “Chemotherapy for bladder cancer,” “FDA Approves New Immunotherapy Drug for Bladder Cancer,” “Immunotherapy for bladder cancer.”

National Cancer Institute: “Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ) -- Patient Version,” "FDA Approves Immunotherapy Drugs for Patients with Bladder Cancer,” “FDA Approves New Immunotherapy Drug for Bladder Cancer,” “Immunotherapy.”

American Society of Clinical Oncology: “Bladder Cancer: Treatment Options.”

Cancer Research UK: “Trans Urethral Removal of Bladder Tumour.”

University Hospital Southampton: “Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor Information for Patients.”

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center: “Treating Bladder Cancer: TUR (Transurethral Resection).”

NYU Langone Medical Center: “Intravesical Treatment for Bladder Cancer,” “Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer,” “Surgery for Bladder Cancer,” “Chemotherapy and New Treatments for Bladder Cancer.”

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ISRN Urology: “Metastatic Bladder Cancer: A Review of Current Management.”

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