'Silent' cancer symptom that overlaps with sign of common infection
by Kate Lally, https://www.facebook.com/bykatelally · Daily RecordGet the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp
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A "silent" cancer that may mimic symptoms of less severe conditions poses a hidden health risk, with around 10,300 new bladder cancer cases emerging in the UK annually. This figure, from Cancer Research, means more than one person is diagnosed every hour, placing bladder cancer as the 11th most common cancer nationwide.
Often undetected until advanced stages, this type of cancer starts with abnormal tissue growths or tumours forming in the bladder lining. Blood in urine is the most common sign of bladder cancer but this can also be indicative of a urinary tract infection (UTI).
The urgent and persistent need to use the loo and a razor sharp pain that won't go away is something many have experienced in their life. More than half of women and 10% of men will suffer a UTI at one point. And this means that it is easy to overlook this silent potential warning sign of bladder cancer.
With the grim statistic from Action Bladder Cancer UK indicating that the disease is fatal for half of those affected, early detection and swift diagnosis become crucial for increasing survival chances, with a promising 80% survival rate for those diagnosed promptly.
Other symptoms include needing to urinate more frequently, needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual, and/or a burning sensation when passing urine - all symptoms that can also be signs of a UTI.
If bladder cancer reaches an advanced stage and has spread, symptoms may include:
- pelvic pain
- bone pain
- unintentional weight loss
- swelling of the legs
NHS guidance states you should ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have blood in your urine, even if you do not have any other symptoms, it's the first time it has happened, there's only a small amount of blood, or you're not sure if it's blood. Blood may be bright pink, red, or dark brown.
It's usually not caused by anything serious, and could be caused by - as stated above - a UTI, or other causes such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate, but it is important to get checked out.
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