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Bladder Cancer

  • Posted: 08/30/2010

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About This Booklet

This National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklet (NIH Publication No. 10-1559) is about cancer that starts in the bladder.

In 2012, about 56,000 men and 18,000 women will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in the United States. Most will be over 70 years old.

More than 9 of 10 Americans with bladder cancer have a type called transitional cell cancer (TCC). This booklet is about TCC of the bladder.

TCC begins in the cells on the surface of the inner lining of the bladder. These cells are called transitional cells. They are able to stretch when the bladder is full and shrink when it’s emptied.

Learning about medical care for bladder cancer can help you take an active part in making choices about your care. This booklet tells about:

  • Diagnosis and staging
  • Treatment and rehabilitation
  • Taking part in research studies

This booklet has lists of questions that you may want to ask your doctor. Many people find it helpful to take a list of questions to a doctor visit. To help remember what your doctor says, you can take notes. You may also want to have a family member or friend go with you when you talk with the doctor—to take notes, ask questions, or just listen.

This text may be reproduced or reused freely. Please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source. Any graphics may be owned by the artist or publisher who created them, and permission may be needed for their reuse.