Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhere It SpreadsSymptoms and ComplicationsTreatmentLiving With Bladder CancerPrognosisFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Where It Spreads
Symptoms and Complications
Treatment
Living With Bladder Cancer
Prognosis
Frequently Asked Questions
Bladder canceraffects around 56,000 men and 17,500womenin the United States each year.
It typically starts in cells that line the inside of thebladder. When bladder cancer cells spread into other areas of the body, it becomesmetastaticbladder cancer.
If you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic bladder cancer, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and uncertain. However, there’s treatment available to help manage symptoms and slow disease progression.
In this article, we’ll go over symptoms, treatments, and the prognosis you can expect with metastatic bladder cancer.
Carlo107 / Getty Images
Where Bladder Cancer Can Spread
The bladder is a hollow organ that holds urine. It has flexible walls that are composed of several layers. When bladder cancer starts to spread, it grows through each layer of the bladder wall.
Muscle-Invasive Bladder CancerBladder cancerthat grows through the bladder wall is called muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancerthat grows through the bladder wall is called muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
When cancer cells continue to grow outside the bladder wall, they may migrate into surrounding organs or lymph nodes. Once cancer cells are in thelymphatic system, they can metastasize anywhere in the body. Common locations where bladder cancer may spread include:
No matter where bladder cancer spreads, it’s still considered bladder cancer.
The first symptom of bladder cancer is usually blood in the urine. However, it’s possible to have blood in your urine and not see it. Laboratory testing can identifyblood in urine, even when it’s not visible to the eye. As bladder cancer spreads, you may experience other symptoms, too. Advanced bladder cancer symptoms include:
Metastatic bladder cancer can cause complications. These vary based upon where your cancer has spread. Advanced bladder cancer complications may include:
Is It Bladder Cancer or a Bladder Infection?
Treatment Options
Treatments for metastatic bladder cancer can vary, based on things like how extensively your cancer has spread, your overall health and strength, and your current symptoms.
What’s the Goal of Treatment?Usually, treatment involves slowing down the progression of cancer, while making sure that your symptoms are as manageable as possible.
What’s the Goal of Treatment?
Usually, treatment involves slowing down the progression of cancer, while making sure that your symptoms are as manageable as possible.
Your healthcare provider may recommend one or more treatment options for you.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy may be done alone or with radiation. Radiation is used to reduce some of the symptoms and side effects that negatively impact your quality of life. These include:
There are many different chemotherapy drugs. The ones usually used for metastatic bladder cancer are platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. These are often administered via injection into a vein.
Surgery
Surgery isn’t a first-line treatment for metastatic bladder cancer. However, if cancer cells remain in the bladder after chemotherapy, a cystectomy may be recommended.
Cystectomyis the surgical removal of some or all of the bladder. This procedure won’t target cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. It may, however, be beneficial for slowing down or stopping a recurrence.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapymay also be recommended as a second-line treatment after chemotherapy. Immunotherapy uses biologics to boost your immune system.
Biologicsare drugs made from proteins or living cells. This type of treatment may help delay cancer progression and extend life expectancy.
Targeted Therapy
If you’re not a candidate for chemotherapy, or you become resistant to chemotherapy drugs, your healthcare provider may recommendtargeted therapyfor you.
Research into metastatic bladder cancer is vigorous and ongoing. Talk with your healthcare provider about clinical trials that may be beneficial for you.
How Bladder Cancer Is Treated
Bladder cancer symptoms and treatments can be overwhelming. No matter where you are on your treatment journey, you’ll need to meet with your healthcare provider for regular checkups and tests. Talking to your healthcare team about the next steps and what to expect can provide a road map during this time.
Where Can I Find a Support Group?To find a local group, talk to your healthcare provider. Local and Zoom meeting lists are also available through organizations such asCancerCare.
Where Can I Find a Support Group?
To find a local group, talk to your healthcare provider. Local and Zoom meeting lists are also available through organizations such asCancerCare.
Joining asupport groupof people dealing with advanced cancer may help provide camaraderie and knowledge. You can connect with people who understand what you’re going through.
Treating cancer means looking after your whole self. This includes keeping an active lifestyle,eating healthy,practicing mindfulness, and socializing with family and friends to improve your mood and overall health. If you smoke cigarettes or use nicotine products, this is a good time to try toquit or cut down.
It’s also important to look after your mental health. Meeting with a therapist can help you navigate intense emotions and provide you with tools to feel more in control of your daily life.
Palliative caremay also be beneficial. Your palliative care provider can help you learn about pain management options. Palliative care providers can also assist with finding mental health services, such as counseling.
Palliative CarePalliative care isn’t the same as hospice. Rather, it’s designed to improve quality of life and reduce the impact of uncomfortable or painful symptoms for an extended period.
Palliative Care
Palliative care isn’t the same as hospice. Rather, it’s designed to improve quality of life and reduce the impact of uncomfortable or painful symptoms for an extended period.
Coping With Bladder Cancer
Metastatic bladder cancer is a challenging diagnosis. Your health, strength, and age will all play a role in your prognosis. How well your cancer responds to treatment is also a significant factor.
Talk to your healthcare provider about your specific prognosis, and what you can expect. In many instances, treatments after chemotherapy can help prolong life and improve quality of life. These include radiation and immunotherapy.
The five-year relative survival rate for people with metastatic bladder cancer is around 6%. This figure is only an estimate. It doesn’t account for individual differences that might impact longer-term survival, including participation in clinical trials.
How Bladder Cancer in Men Is Treated
Summary
Metastatic bladder cancer is cancer that has spread outside of the bladder to other parts of the body. If you have metastatic bladder cancer, your treatment will be focused on destroying or slowing down cancer cells throughout your body, not just in your bladder.
There are several treatments for this disease. Chemotherapy is usually the first-line treatment your doctor may recommend. After chemotherapy, systemic treatments can help reduce cancer progression and prolong life, plus alleviate symptoms such as pain.
Metastatic bladder cancer is a challenging diagnosis. During and after treatment, you may benefit from connecting with others who have this disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude may also help.
A Word From Verywell
A diagnosis of metastatic bladder cancer can feel overwhelming, but there’s treatment to help manage symptoms and slow disease progression. No matter where you are on your treatment journey, it’s important to maintain regular appointments with your healthcare provider to keep your cancer under control.
Joining a cancer support group can help you feel less alone. Here, you can connect with people who understand what you’re going through. Talking openly with a mental health professional about how you’re feeling can also provide a sense of comfort.
Metastatic bladder cancer can spread anywhere in the body. Common sites include the bones, liver, and lungs.
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16 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bladder cancer basics.Shinagare AB, Ramaiya NH, Jagannathan JP, Fennessy FM, Taplin ME, Van den Abbeele AD.Metastatic pattern of bladder cancer: Correlation with the characteristics of the primary tumor.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2011;196(1):117-122. doi/10.2214/AJR.10.5036Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)?American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer stages.American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer signs and symptoms.MedlinePlus.Bladder cancer.Carballido EM, Rosenberg JE.Optimal treatment for metastatic bladder cancer.Curr Oncol Rep. 2014;16(9):404. doi:10.1007/s11912-014-0404-2Fletcher A, Choudhury A, Alam N.Metastatic bladder cancer: A review of current management.ISRN Urol. 2011;2011:545241. doi:10.5402/2011/545241Kang X, Xiao HH, Song HQ, Jing XB, Yan LS, Qi RG.Advances in drug delivery system for platinum agents based combination therapy.Cancer Biol Med. 2015;12(4):362-374. doi: 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2015.0063University of Michigan Health.Cystectomy for bladder cancer.University of Rochester Medical Center.Bladder cancer: Immunotherapy.National Cancer Institute.Targeted therapy to treat cancer.CancerCare.Palliative care.Rades D, Manig L, Janssen S, Schild SE.A survival score for patients assigned to palliative radiotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer.Anticancer Research. 2017;37(3):1481-1484.American Cancer Society.Survival rates for bladder cancer.Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer?
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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bladder cancer basics.Shinagare AB, Ramaiya NH, Jagannathan JP, Fennessy FM, Taplin ME, Van den Abbeele AD.Metastatic pattern of bladder cancer: Correlation with the characteristics of the primary tumor.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2011;196(1):117-122. doi/10.2214/AJR.10.5036Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)?American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer stages.American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer signs and symptoms.MedlinePlus.Bladder cancer.Carballido EM, Rosenberg JE.Optimal treatment for metastatic bladder cancer.Curr Oncol Rep. 2014;16(9):404. doi:10.1007/s11912-014-0404-2Fletcher A, Choudhury A, Alam N.Metastatic bladder cancer: A review of current management.ISRN Urol. 2011;2011:545241. doi:10.5402/2011/545241Kang X, Xiao HH, Song HQ, Jing XB, Yan LS, Qi RG.Advances in drug delivery system for platinum agents based combination therapy.Cancer Biol Med. 2015;12(4):362-374. doi: 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2015.0063University of Michigan Health.Cystectomy for bladder cancer.University of Rochester Medical Center.Bladder cancer: Immunotherapy.National Cancer Institute.Targeted therapy to treat cancer.CancerCare.Palliative care.Rades D, Manig L, Janssen S, Schild SE.A survival score for patients assigned to palliative radiotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer.Anticancer Research. 2017;37(3):1481-1484.American Cancer Society.Survival rates for bladder cancer.Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Bladder cancer basics.
Shinagare AB, Ramaiya NH, Jagannathan JP, Fennessy FM, Taplin ME, Van den Abbeele AD.Metastatic pattern of bladder cancer: Correlation with the characteristics of the primary tumor.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2011;196(1):117-122. doi/10.2214/AJR.10.5036
Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)?
American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer stages.
American Cancer Society.Bladder cancer signs and symptoms.
MedlinePlus.Bladder cancer.
Carballido EM, Rosenberg JE.Optimal treatment for metastatic bladder cancer.Curr Oncol Rep. 2014;16(9):404. doi:10.1007/s11912-014-0404-2
Fletcher A, Choudhury A, Alam N.Metastatic bladder cancer: A review of current management.ISRN Urol. 2011;2011:545241. doi:10.5402/2011/545241
Kang X, Xiao HH, Song HQ, Jing XB, Yan LS, Qi RG.Advances in drug delivery system for platinum agents based combination therapy.Cancer Biol Med. 2015;12(4):362-374. doi: 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2015.0063
University of Michigan Health.Cystectomy for bladder cancer.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Bladder cancer: Immunotherapy.
National Cancer Institute.Targeted therapy to treat cancer.
CancerCare.Palliative care.
Rades D, Manig L, Janssen S, Schild SE.A survival score for patients assigned to palliative radiotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer.Anticancer Research. 2017;37(3):1481-1484.
American Cancer Society.Survival rates for bladder cancer.
Urology Care Foundation.What is muscle invasive bladder cancer?
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