Latest news with #BladderCancerAwarenessMonth
The Courier
4 days ago
- Health
- The Courier
How Abernethy dad learned he had bladder cancer - despite having no symptoms
Two years ago insurance broker Allan Donnachie decided to take up the offer of a free medical check up through his workplace. The then 54-year-old from Abernethy felt perfectly healthy. But he had no idea that his health MOT would lead to him being diagnosed with bladder cancer. 'I was working as an insurance broker for Marsh Commercial in Perth at the time with 27 years service,' he explains. 'Fortunately I was provided with private healthcare through my job so took up the offer of a health check up. 'I had my cholesterol, blood pressure and everything else checked. 'But because I was over 50, the doctor asked me if I wanted to check my prostate. 'To be honest I didn't know what was involved but I said yes anyway. 'He then phoned me the next day to say he was a bit concerned about my prostate. 'And he suggested I should get it checked out as soon as I could.' So Allan, who is now 56, made an appointment at Spire Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh so further investigations could be carried out. But after some scans, tests and an operation, Allan was shocked to discover he had three cancerous tumours on his bladder. Today Allan is sharing his story to mark Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. And he is grateful his bladder cancer was caught in the early stages. After deciding to opt for private health care, Allan made an appointment at Spire Murrayfield Hospital. This was after concerns were raised about his prostate. 'The doctor carried out more checks and asked me to measure everything I drank for the next ten days,' he explains. 'He was concerned about the number of times I was needing to visit the toilet. 'So I did that and went on to have an MRI scan which found a shadow on my prostate. 'Then then did more tests and one of them was a cystoscopy.' A cystoscopy is a procedure where a thin, flexible tube with a camera (cystoscope) is inserted into the urethra to examine the inside of the bladder and urethra. It's used to diagnose or treat various bladder conditions, including detecting bladder cancer. Allan continues: 'They looked at my prostate first and said it was fine. 'But they said I would need to go in for an operation as they had found something on my bladder. 'Less than two weeks later, in August 2023, I had surgery. 'After the operation I was told the surgeons had found three cancerous tumours on my bladder.' Allan is one of nearly 1700 people who are diagnosed each year in Scotland with bladder cancer. Yet he had no idea he had the disease. And the diagnosis was the last thing he expected to hear. 'I have never been sick in my life,' he says. 'I just thought maybe there was a lump they had seen on the MRI, but I never thought it would be cancerous. 'They were able to confirm it was cancer after the tumours were removed and analysed. 'According to the NHS, one of the main causes of bladder cancer is smoking but I don't smoke and I never have. 'So that's why the diagnosis came as such a shock. 'But at the same time I was pleased it had been caught early.' After the operation Allan was given his first chemotherapy treatment straight away. 'I was given this right after the operation and was told this was the most important chemotherapy treatment,' he explains. 'After the tumours were removed the chemo would start working straight away and prevent any more tumours from forming. 'Once the tumours had been analysed I was told there was a low grade, intermediate risk of the cancer returning. 'So on the back of that I was given six shots of chemotherapy.' After the first round, Allan went on to have the next few chemotherapy sessions at the end of October. And he finished the treatment on December 28, 2023. Allan had his first check up – which included having a cystoscopy – after finishing treatment in February 2024. And the results came back clear. As part of his recovery he took part in a wellness nutrition course at Maggie's Dundee. 'It was good to chat to other people who had had bladder cancer, just knowing that there were other people who had been through the same experience. 'But it made me realise how fortunate I had been. 'There had been other guys at Maggie's with the same cancer as me but they had had their bladders removed. 'It made me glad I had gone for that medical when I did.' Allan continues to have regular check ups and so far, remains clear of cancer. 'I have to have four cystoscopies a year for the first two years. 'This means I will have another in August, then one more in November. From then it will go down to two a year.' Allan, who has two daughters Natalie, 14 and Rosie, 10, is grateful for the support of his family, particularly wife Marie, 50. 'It was my wife who encouraged me to go to Maggie's and sign up for the wellness course. She went to Maggie's with me a couple of times. 'She has been very supportive and really helped to keep me going.' Allan is now looking ahead to the future. 'I am grateful it was picked up early because I could still be sitting here today not knowing I had the disease because I never had any symptoms. 'I might have ended up having my bladder removed or worse.' He adds: 'I feel extremely lucky.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Congressman Murphy marks May as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
Washington, D.C. (WNCT) — Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., is recognizing May as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. 'While most bladder cancers are caught early, it can be a terrible disease that takes many innocent lives,' Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., said. 'As a urologist of over 30 years, I have treated many patients suffering from this cancer and appreciate the valuable breakthroughs in treatment we have made. This disease can impact anyone, and I am honored to recognize May as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month.' More than 800,000 families in the U.S. live with bladder cancer, with it being among the top 7 most commonly diagnosed cancers in the U.S. 'We are grateful to Congressman Murphy, his staff and the resolution's co-sponsors for expressing support to designate May as National Bladder Cancer Awareness Month,' CEO of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, Meri-Margaret Deoudes said. 'Their efforts will help increase public awareness, promote early diagnoses and will help save lives.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The one bladder cancer symptom you should never ignore, according to a urologist
Bladder cancer has earned the title as the "forgotten cancer" despite being the fifth most common in Canada. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it's estimated that in 2024, 12,300 Canadians were diagnosed with bladder cancer, 2,640 of whom would die from the disease. May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, which helps shed light on the warning signs of bladder cancer that are often mistaken for other health conditions like urinary tract and kidney infections. Early detection is key and knowing the signs of bladder cancer can help save a life. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. What are the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer, and what are its risk factors? Here's what you need to know. Bladder cancer begins when formerly healthy cells in the bladder start to grow abnormally and multiply. The vast majority (90 per cent) of bladder cancer cases occur in the organ's inner lining and are known as urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma. When the disease develops in the bladder lining, it's referred to as superficial bladder cancer. Alternatively, when the cancer has spread through the lining and invades the muscle wall or spreads to nearby organs and lymph nodes, it's called invasive bladder cancer. Nine in 10 bladder cancer cases in Canada are diagnosed in populations ages 50 and older. Bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among men and the 10th most commonly diagnosed among women. While it's a lesser-known cancer, you may remember several celebrities whom the disease has impacted. Frank Sinatra was diagnosed with bladder cancer in his final years (he ultimately passed away from a heart attack), NBA star Maurice Lucas underwent surgery for bladder cancer and later died from the disease at age 58, and Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh underwent treatment for his diagnosis in 2015. Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton died from bladder cancer in 2020. In Canada, if you're of a certain age or population group, screening tests are available for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. However, bladder cancer is a different story. As of today, there are no early screening tests available for bladder cancer. Therefore, most people are diagnosed after reporting symptoms, most commonly, blood in the urine. According to Dr. Girish Kulkarni, a urologic surgeon in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, blood in the urine should never be ignored, even if it's a one-time occurrence. "If someone visibly sees blood, even one time, they should have a thorough assessment," Kulkarni tells Yahoo Canada. In addition to blood in the urine, signs or symptoms of bladder cancer may include: Pain or burning during urination Frequent and urgent urination Feeling the need to urinate but not being able to Experiencing symptoms despite no signs of infections Kulkarni says that in addition to blood, pain should never be ignored, as it may indicate a more advanced stage of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer can affect anyone; however, certain populations are considerably more at-risk than others. Unlike cancers linked to the so-called "cancer gene" (inherited gene mutations), the risk of developing bladder cancer is almost entirely lifestyle-related. According to Kulkarni, smoking is the "no. 1 risk factor associated with bladder cancer." Additionally, occupational exposures to specific chemicals are often tied to diagnoses, including those found in hair dyes, paints, fungicides, cigarette smoke, plastics, metals and motor vehicle exhaust. Because of its risk factors, bladder cancer tends to disproportionately affect populations of "lower socioeconomic status," says Kulkarni. "Think of the people working with chemicals: Painters, factory workers, hairdressers, [etc.]," those are the groups who are most at-risk. One of the theories that explains why men are diagnosed at higher rates than women are the lifestyle factors mentioned. "Historically, men were the smokers, and men were the ones working with chemicals," Kulkarni says. Despite being the fifth-most prevalent cancer in Canada, Kulkarni says bladder cancer is one of the least funded. Bladder cancer is "often beyond the 20th-rank in terms of funding," he says. "There's a lot of disparity in the research into bladder cancer." He adds that while "most people think of breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers, bladder [cancer] is right there next to them." However, "it doesn't get the fifth or sixth-most amount of funding." It's a "very prevalent" and "very recurrent disease," he says. "It can come back over and over [again]." The lack of funding "really [highlights] the disparities in cancer care" in Canada. To learn more about bladder cancer, see the resources below. Bladder Cancer Canada Canadian Cancer Society Government of Canada
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The one bladder cancer symptom you should never ignore, according to a urologist
Bladder cancer has earned the title as the "forgotten cancer" despite being the fifth most common in Canada. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it's estimated that in 2024, 12,300 Canadians were diagnosed with bladder cancer, 2,640 of whom would die from the disease. May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, which helps shed light on the warning signs of bladder cancer that are often mistaken for other health conditions like urinary tract and kidney infections. Early detection is key and knowing the signs of bladder cancer can help save a life. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. What are the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer, and what are its risk factors? Here's what you need to know. Bladder cancer begins when formerly healthy cells in the bladder start to grow abnormally and multiply. The vast majority (90 per cent) of bladder cancer cases occur in the organ's inner lining and are known as urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma. When the disease develops in the bladder lining, it's referred to as superficial bladder cancer. Alternatively, when the cancer has spread through the lining and invades the muscle wall or spreads to nearby organs and lymph nodes, it's called invasive bladder cancer. Nine in 10 bladder cancer cases in Canada are diagnosed in populations ages 50 and older. Bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among men and the 10th most commonly diagnosed among women. While it's a lesser-known cancer, you may remember several celebrities whom the disease has impacted. Frank Sinatra was diagnosed with bladder cancer in his final years (he ultimately passed away from a heart attack), NBA star Maurice Lucas underwent surgery for bladder cancer and later died from the disease at age 58, and Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh underwent treatment for his diagnosis in 2015. Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton died from bladder cancer in 2020. In Canada, if you're of a certain age or population group, screening tests are available for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. However, bladder cancer is a different story. As of today, there are no early screening tests available for bladder cancer. Therefore, most people are diagnosed after reporting symptoms, most commonly, blood in the urine. According to Dr. Girish Kulkarni, a urologic surgeon in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, blood in the urine should never be ignored, even if it's a one-time occurrence. "If someone visibly sees blood, even one time, they should have a thorough assessment," Kulkarni tells Yahoo Canada. In addition to blood in the urine, signs or symptoms of bladder cancer may include: Pain or burning during urination Frequent and urgent urination Feeling the need to urinate but not being able to Experiencing symptoms despite no signs of infections Kulkarni says that in addition to blood, pain should never be ignored, as it may indicate a more advanced stage of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer can affect anyone; however, certain populations are considerably more at-risk than others. Unlike cancers linked to the so-called "cancer gene" (inherited gene mutations), the risk of developing bladder cancer is almost entirely lifestyle-related. According to Kulkarni, smoking is the "no. 1 risk factor associated with bladder cancer." Additionally, occupational exposures to specific chemicals are often tied to diagnoses, including those found in hair dyes, paints, fungicides, cigarette smoke, plastics, metals and motor vehicle exhaust. Because of its risk factors, bladder cancer tends to disproportionately affect populations of "lower socioeconomic status," says Kulkarni. "Think of the people working with chemicals: Painters, factory workers, hairdressers, [etc.]," those are the groups who are most at-risk. One of the theories that explains why men are diagnosed at higher rates than women are the lifestyle factors mentioned. "Historically, men were the smokers, and men were the ones working with chemicals," Kulkarni says. Despite being the fifth-most prevalent cancer in Canada, Kulkarni says bladder cancer is one of the least funded. Bladder cancer is "often beyond the 20th-rank in terms of funding," he says. "There's a lot of disparity in the research into bladder cancer." He adds that while "most people think of breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers, bladder [cancer] is right there next to them." However, "it doesn't get the fifth or sixth-most amount of funding." It's a "very prevalent" and "very recurrent disease," he says. "It can come back over and over [again]." The lack of funding "really [highlights] the disparities in cancer care" in Canada. To learn more about bladder cancer, see the resources below. Bladder Cancer Canada Canadian Cancer Society Government of Canada
