Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTypesTreatmentComplicationsPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Types
Treatment
Complications
Prevention
A polyp is an abnormal mass of tissues arising from the mucous membrane of organs, including thebladder.Some bladder tumors arebenign(noncancerous), while others can gradually change and becomemalignant(cancerous).
If your healthcare provider finds a bladder polyp, they may recommend that you have it removed based on its size and appearance. Certain features may suggest that a polyp is more likely to turn cancerous or already have cancer cells in them.
By having a suspicious polyp removed, you can prevent it from becoming malignant or prevent the spread of cancer if the mass is already malignant.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “male,” “female,” “men,” and “women” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “male,” “female,” “men,” and “women” as the sources use them.
mr.suphachai praserdumrongchai / Getty Images
Bladder Polyps on Ultrasound: How Symptoms Get Diagnosed
Many people with bladder polyps areasymptomatic, meaning that they have no symptoms. If symptoms develop, you may experience:
If symptoms like these develop, you may be referred to aurologistorurogynecologist(specialists inurinary tract conditions).
Other tests and procedures can help diagnose bladder polyps:
Cystoscopy can also be used to remove polyps or any other abnormal growth.
Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause of polyps—why they occur and why some become cancer—is unknown. In most cases, polyps have no known cause.
Other risk factors include:
Risk of Cancer With Bladder Polyps
Bladder canceris a relatively rare form of cancer. It affects just 18 out of every 100,000 people of any sex in the United States each year.It accounts for 4% of all cancers in the United States.
As an entity, bladder polyps are also uncommon and fall into two broad categories. each with a different risk of malignancy:
There are three factors that can predict the risk of malignancy: the type of bladder polyp you have, the size of the polyp, and the physical characteristics of the polyp.
Bladder Polyp Types
The appearance of a polyp may be described assessile(flat or slightly elevated),pedunculated(having a mushroom shape with a stalk), orserrated(having a sawtooth appearance). These variations can also make certain polyps easier or harder to find and remove.
Nonneoplastic
Nonneoplastic bladder polyps are less common than neoplastic ones, accounting for only around 5% of bladder masses. Some share characteristics of neoplastic polyps and require a pathologist to make the distinction.
The two main types of benign bladder polyps are:
Other rare benign bladder growths include:
Neoplastic
Adenomasare the main type of neoplasm in the bladder. They originate in mucus-producing cells of the epithelium and, while generally benign, can sometimes undergo abnormal and erratic changes to the structure and organization of cells, known asdysplasia.
Dysplasia can be low, moderate, or high grade. The more dysplastic an adenomatous polyp is, the more likely it will become cancerous.
There are three types of adenomatous polyps:
In addition to adenomas, other bladder polyps are also at risk of becoming malignant:
Treatment and Removal
Not every bladder polyp needs to be removed, and benign ones may only need treatment if they are causing symptoms.This is especially true if the polyp is small and not positioned in or near a major outlet, where it may later cause obstruction.
Polyps that are large, suspicious, and causing symptoms are invariably removed. This is typically done with a procedure known astransurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).
How TURBT Is Performed
TURBT is performed undergeneralorregional anesthesiausing a special type of cystoscope—called a resectoscope—that is fed through the urethra and into the bladder to remove polyps and other suspicious growths.
This resectoscope has a small electrified wire loop at the end that can simultaneously resect (remove) a polyp and cauterize (burn) underlying blood vessels to stop any bleeding. This is sometimes calledfulguration.
Light-sensitive dyes may be fed into the bladder beforehand in a process as known as photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). A special blue light on the resectoscope can then highlight hot spots where cancer cells are, making it easier to find and remove less obvious polyps.
The resected polyps are then sent to apathologistto check for signs of cancer under a microscope, special stains, and other tests.
Recovery
The TURBT procedure usually takes no longer than one hour. Once you have recovered from the anesthesia, you can return home. You may have bloody urine for up to three days and traces of blood for up to 14 days. Bleeding and bruising are common, but infection is rare.
Complications and Future Risks
The main complication of a bladder polyp is bladder cancer. The most common isurothelial carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), but there are other rarer types known assquamous cell carcinoma,adenocarcinoma, andsarcoma.
If the pathologist finds cancer, the next step is tostage and gradethe malignancy. Staging describes the size of the tumor and how far it has spread, while grading describes how aggressive (fast-growing) or indolent (slow-growing) it is.
Additional tests, such as a CT scan, may be performed to determine whether the tumor has invaded underlying bladder muscles. These findings will direct the appropriate course of treatment.
Treatment Recommendations
Even after the removal of the tumor with TURBT, up to 50% of people will experience a recurrence of cancer within 12 months.
In cases where the bladder can be spared, the AUA recommends performing a repeat TURBT in four to six weeks to see if there are any residual signs of cancer.
Prevention and How to Support Bladder Health
You can’t always prevent bladder polyps or cancer, but there are things you can do to improve your bladder health and possibly reduce your risk:
Summary
Bladder polyps are abnormal growths in the bladder, some of which may be benign (noncancerous) and others that may turn malignant (cancerous). Urothelial polyps and inverted urothelial papilloma are two benign polyps that can commonly affect the bladder, while adenomas and serrated-sessile polyps are two types that have a greater chance for malignancy.
Polyps can be identified with a procedure called cystoscopy. If a polyp is large, suspicious, or causing symptoms, it can be removed with transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) and minimal invasive performed under anesthesia.
In cases where bladder cancer is found, a procedure called a radical cystectomy may be needed to remove the bladder. They reduce the risk of recurrence common with bladder cancer.
31 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.City of Hope Cancer Center.Polyps.Moffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass on the bladder mean?Jakus D, Jurić I, Šitum M.Benign urinary bladder masses: rare entities.Afr J Urol.2023;29:48. doi:10.1186/s12301-023-00382-2Canadian Cancer Society.Non-cancerous tumours and conditions of the bladder.American Cancer Society.Tests for bladder cancer.Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center.Interpreting bladder cancer symptoms in men vs. women: what you should know.American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer risk factors.American Cancer Society.What causes bladder cancer?Yen T, Stanich PP, Axell L, Patel SG.APC-associated polyposis conditions. In:GeneReviews.Seattle, WA: University of Washington, Seattle Press; 2024.Xie S, Friesen MC, Baris D, et al.Occupational exposure to organic solvents and risk of bladder cancer.J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol.2024;34:546-552. doi:10.1038/s41370-024-00651-4National Cancer Institute.Cancer fast stats: bladder cancer.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for bladder cancer.Yale Medicine.3 things to know about colon polyps.Keceli AM, Donmez MI, Kilinc ANU.Fibroepithelial polyp at the bladder neck presenting with gross hematuria in a 5-year-old boy.J Endourol Case Rep. 2020;6(3):107-109. doi:10.1089/cren.2019.012Sweeney MK, Rais-Bahrami S, Gordetsky J.Inverted urothelial papilloma: a review of diagnostic pitfalls and clinical management.Can Urol Assoc J.2017;11(1-2):66-69. doi:10.5489/cuaj.4136Pang S, Cevik J, Sreedharan S, Wilks DJ.Rate of benign and malignant secondary tumors associated with nevus sebaceous: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Plast Surg. 2024;92(6):711-719. doi:10.1097/SAP.0000000000003879Prabhu JK, Samal S, Chandrasekar S, Subramani D, Rajamanickam S.A massive degenerative leiomyoma mimicking an ovarian tumor: a diagnostic dilemma.J Gynecol Surg. 2021;37(1):67-69. doi:10.1089/gyn.2020.0118National Health Service (UK).Lipoma.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Neurofibromatosis fact sheet.Han YS, Jung HJ.Villous adenoma of bladder with uncommon location in a super‐aged patient without gross hematuria.IJU Case Rep.2021;4(4):197–199. doi:10.1002/iju5.12280Lopez-Beltran A, Montironi R, Vidal A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urothelial dysplasia of the bladder: diagnostic features and clinical significance.Anal Quant Cytopathol Histpathol.2013;35(3):121-9.Kao CS, Epstein JI.Tubular adenoma of the urinary tract: a newly described entity.Human Pathol.2013;44(9):1890-1894. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2013.02.017Chen IH, Chien CC, Yu CC, Wu T, Huang JK.Primary tubulovillous adenoma of the urinary bladder: case report and literature review.Urologic Sci.2014;25(4):139-142. doi:10.1016/j.urols.2013.08.003Mester J, Charis E.PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;132:129-137. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62702-5.00009-3Obuch JC, Piggott CM, Ahnen DJ.Sessile serrated polyps: detection, eradication, and prevention of the evil twin.Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2015;13(1):156–170. doi:10.1007/s11938-015-0046-yMoffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass in the bladder mean?Cancer Research UK.Trans urethral removal of bladder tumour (TURBT).Cancer Research UK.Types of bladder cancer.Holzbeierlein J, Bixler BR, Buckley DI, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: AUA/SUO guideline: 2024 amendment.J Urol. 2024:211(4):533-538. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003846World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Continuous update progress expert report 2018: diet, nutrition, physical activity, and bladder cancer.Emory Winship Cancer Institute.Bladder cancer prevention.
31 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.City of Hope Cancer Center.Polyps.Moffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass on the bladder mean?Jakus D, Jurić I, Šitum M.Benign urinary bladder masses: rare entities.Afr J Urol.2023;29:48. doi:10.1186/s12301-023-00382-2Canadian Cancer Society.Non-cancerous tumours and conditions of the bladder.American Cancer Society.Tests for bladder cancer.Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center.Interpreting bladder cancer symptoms in men vs. women: what you should know.American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer risk factors.American Cancer Society.What causes bladder cancer?Yen T, Stanich PP, Axell L, Patel SG.APC-associated polyposis conditions. In:GeneReviews.Seattle, WA: University of Washington, Seattle Press; 2024.Xie S, Friesen MC, Baris D, et al.Occupational exposure to organic solvents and risk of bladder cancer.J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol.2024;34:546-552. doi:10.1038/s41370-024-00651-4National Cancer Institute.Cancer fast stats: bladder cancer.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for bladder cancer.Yale Medicine.3 things to know about colon polyps.Keceli AM, Donmez MI, Kilinc ANU.Fibroepithelial polyp at the bladder neck presenting with gross hematuria in a 5-year-old boy.J Endourol Case Rep. 2020;6(3):107-109. doi:10.1089/cren.2019.012Sweeney MK, Rais-Bahrami S, Gordetsky J.Inverted urothelial papilloma: a review of diagnostic pitfalls and clinical management.Can Urol Assoc J.2017;11(1-2):66-69. doi:10.5489/cuaj.4136Pang S, Cevik J, Sreedharan S, Wilks DJ.Rate of benign and malignant secondary tumors associated with nevus sebaceous: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Plast Surg. 2024;92(6):711-719. doi:10.1097/SAP.0000000000003879Prabhu JK, Samal S, Chandrasekar S, Subramani D, Rajamanickam S.A massive degenerative leiomyoma mimicking an ovarian tumor: a diagnostic dilemma.J Gynecol Surg. 2021;37(1):67-69. doi:10.1089/gyn.2020.0118National Health Service (UK).Lipoma.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Neurofibromatosis fact sheet.Han YS, Jung HJ.Villous adenoma of bladder with uncommon location in a super‐aged patient without gross hematuria.IJU Case Rep.2021;4(4):197–199. doi:10.1002/iju5.12280Lopez-Beltran A, Montironi R, Vidal A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urothelial dysplasia of the bladder: diagnostic features and clinical significance.Anal Quant Cytopathol Histpathol.2013;35(3):121-9.Kao CS, Epstein JI.Tubular adenoma of the urinary tract: a newly described entity.Human Pathol.2013;44(9):1890-1894. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2013.02.017Chen IH, Chien CC, Yu CC, Wu T, Huang JK.Primary tubulovillous adenoma of the urinary bladder: case report and literature review.Urologic Sci.2014;25(4):139-142. doi:10.1016/j.urols.2013.08.003Mester J, Charis E.PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;132:129-137. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62702-5.00009-3Obuch JC, Piggott CM, Ahnen DJ.Sessile serrated polyps: detection, eradication, and prevention of the evil twin.Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2015;13(1):156–170. doi:10.1007/s11938-015-0046-yMoffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass in the bladder mean?Cancer Research UK.Trans urethral removal of bladder tumour (TURBT).Cancer Research UK.Types of bladder cancer.Holzbeierlein J, Bixler BR, Buckley DI, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: AUA/SUO guideline: 2024 amendment.J Urol. 2024:211(4):533-538. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003846World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Continuous update progress expert report 2018: diet, nutrition, physical activity, and bladder cancer.Emory Winship Cancer Institute.Bladder cancer prevention.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
City of Hope Cancer Center.Polyps.Moffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass on the bladder mean?Jakus D, Jurić I, Šitum M.Benign urinary bladder masses: rare entities.Afr J Urol.2023;29:48. doi:10.1186/s12301-023-00382-2Canadian Cancer Society.Non-cancerous tumours and conditions of the bladder.American Cancer Society.Tests for bladder cancer.Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center.Interpreting bladder cancer symptoms in men vs. women: what you should know.American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer risk factors.American Cancer Society.What causes bladder cancer?Yen T, Stanich PP, Axell L, Patel SG.APC-associated polyposis conditions. In:GeneReviews.Seattle, WA: University of Washington, Seattle Press; 2024.Xie S, Friesen MC, Baris D, et al.Occupational exposure to organic solvents and risk of bladder cancer.J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol.2024;34:546-552. doi:10.1038/s41370-024-00651-4National Cancer Institute.Cancer fast stats: bladder cancer.American Cancer Society.Key statistics for bladder cancer.Yale Medicine.3 things to know about colon polyps.Keceli AM, Donmez MI, Kilinc ANU.Fibroepithelial polyp at the bladder neck presenting with gross hematuria in a 5-year-old boy.J Endourol Case Rep. 2020;6(3):107-109. doi:10.1089/cren.2019.012Sweeney MK, Rais-Bahrami S, Gordetsky J.Inverted urothelial papilloma: a review of diagnostic pitfalls and clinical management.Can Urol Assoc J.2017;11(1-2):66-69. doi:10.5489/cuaj.4136Pang S, Cevik J, Sreedharan S, Wilks DJ.Rate of benign and malignant secondary tumors associated with nevus sebaceous: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Plast Surg. 2024;92(6):711-719. doi:10.1097/SAP.0000000000003879Prabhu JK, Samal S, Chandrasekar S, Subramani D, Rajamanickam S.A massive degenerative leiomyoma mimicking an ovarian tumor: a diagnostic dilemma.J Gynecol Surg. 2021;37(1):67-69. doi:10.1089/gyn.2020.0118National Health Service (UK).Lipoma.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Neurofibromatosis fact sheet.Han YS, Jung HJ.Villous adenoma of bladder with uncommon location in a super‐aged patient without gross hematuria.IJU Case Rep.2021;4(4):197–199. doi:10.1002/iju5.12280Lopez-Beltran A, Montironi R, Vidal A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urothelial dysplasia of the bladder: diagnostic features and clinical significance.Anal Quant Cytopathol Histpathol.2013;35(3):121-9.Kao CS, Epstein JI.Tubular adenoma of the urinary tract: a newly described entity.Human Pathol.2013;44(9):1890-1894. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2013.02.017Chen IH, Chien CC, Yu CC, Wu T, Huang JK.Primary tubulovillous adenoma of the urinary bladder: case report and literature review.Urologic Sci.2014;25(4):139-142. doi:10.1016/j.urols.2013.08.003Mester J, Charis E.PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;132:129-137. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62702-5.00009-3Obuch JC, Piggott CM, Ahnen DJ.Sessile serrated polyps: detection, eradication, and prevention of the evil twin.Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2015;13(1):156–170. doi:10.1007/s11938-015-0046-yMoffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass in the bladder mean?Cancer Research UK.Trans urethral removal of bladder tumour (TURBT).Cancer Research UK.Types of bladder cancer.Holzbeierlein J, Bixler BR, Buckley DI, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: AUA/SUO guideline: 2024 amendment.J Urol. 2024:211(4):533-538. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003846World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Continuous update progress expert report 2018: diet, nutrition, physical activity, and bladder cancer.Emory Winship Cancer Institute.Bladder cancer prevention.
City of Hope Cancer Center.Polyps.
Moffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass on the bladder mean?
Jakus D, Jurić I, Šitum M.Benign urinary bladder masses: rare entities.Afr J Urol.2023;29:48. doi:10.1186/s12301-023-00382-2
Canadian Cancer Society.Non-cancerous tumours and conditions of the bladder.
American Cancer Society.Tests for bladder cancer.
Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center.Interpreting bladder cancer symptoms in men vs. women: what you should know.
American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer risk factors.
American Cancer Society.What causes bladder cancer?
Yen T, Stanich PP, Axell L, Patel SG.APC-associated polyposis conditions. In:GeneReviews.Seattle, WA: University of Washington, Seattle Press; 2024.
Xie S, Friesen MC, Baris D, et al.Occupational exposure to organic solvents and risk of bladder cancer.J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol.2024;34:546-552. doi:10.1038/s41370-024-00651-4
National Cancer Institute.Cancer fast stats: bladder cancer.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for bladder cancer.
Yale Medicine.3 things to know about colon polyps.
Keceli AM, Donmez MI, Kilinc ANU.Fibroepithelial polyp at the bladder neck presenting with gross hematuria in a 5-year-old boy.J Endourol Case Rep. 2020;6(3):107-109. doi:10.1089/cren.2019.012
Sweeney MK, Rais-Bahrami S, Gordetsky J.Inverted urothelial papilloma: a review of diagnostic pitfalls and clinical management.Can Urol Assoc J.2017;11(1-2):66-69. doi:10.5489/cuaj.4136
Pang S, Cevik J, Sreedharan S, Wilks DJ.Rate of benign and malignant secondary tumors associated with nevus sebaceous: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Plast Surg. 2024;92(6):711-719. doi:10.1097/SAP.0000000000003879
Prabhu JK, Samal S, Chandrasekar S, Subramani D, Rajamanickam S.A massive degenerative leiomyoma mimicking an ovarian tumor: a diagnostic dilemma.J Gynecol Surg. 2021;37(1):67-69. doi:10.1089/gyn.2020.0118
National Health Service (UK).Lipoma.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Neurofibromatosis fact sheet.
Han YS, Jung HJ.Villous adenoma of bladder with uncommon location in a super‐aged patient without gross hematuria.IJU Case Rep.2021;4(4):197–199. doi:10.1002/iju5.12280
Lopez-Beltran A, Montironi R, Vidal A, Scarpelli M, Cheng L.Urothelial dysplasia of the bladder: diagnostic features and clinical significance.Anal Quant Cytopathol Histpathol.2013;35(3):121-9.
Kao CS, Epstein JI.Tubular adenoma of the urinary tract: a newly described entity.Human Pathol.2013;44(9):1890-1894. doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2013.02.017
Chen IH, Chien CC, Yu CC, Wu T, Huang JK.Primary tubulovillous adenoma of the urinary bladder: case report and literature review.Urologic Sci.2014;25(4):139-142. doi:10.1016/j.urols.2013.08.003
Mester J, Charis E.PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;132:129-137. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62702-5.00009-3
Obuch JC, Piggott CM, Ahnen DJ.Sessile serrated polyps: detection, eradication, and prevention of the evil twin.Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2015;13(1):156–170. doi:10.1007/s11938-015-0046-y
Moffitt Cancer Center.What does a mass in the bladder mean?
Cancer Research UK.Trans urethral removal of bladder tumour (TURBT).
Cancer Research UK.Types of bladder cancer.
Holzbeierlein J, Bixler BR, Buckley DI, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: AUA/SUO guideline: 2024 amendment.J Urol. 2024:211(4):533-538. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000003846
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Continuous update progress expert report 2018: diet, nutrition, physical activity, and bladder cancer.
Emory Winship Cancer Institute.Bladder cancer prevention.
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