Bladder Cancer Stages

There were nearly 69,000 cases of bladder cancer in 2008 just in the United States. Of these cases, over 20 percent of the patients died. The first step in forming treatment to save a patient after diagnosis is staging the cancer. The stage of the bladder cancer will indicate how far it has spread--or if it has spread at all.

Stage I

• Bladder cancer in Stage I is in the earliest stage of the disease. There will only be cancer cells found on the surface of the bladder's inner lining.

Stage II

• In Stage II, there are cancer cells deep inside the lining of the bladder. There are still no cells, though, within the muscle of the bladder.

Stage III

• Once the cancer is in Stage III, there are cancel cells in the muscle of the bladder. This is in addition to those found in the lining.

Stage IV

• Stage IV bladder cancer is the most serious. The cancer cells are found through the muscle of the bladder and the tissue surrounding it. It may also have spread to the prostate (men), or the uterus or vagina (women).

Considerations

• There are many treatment options with bladder cancer. After the cancer is staged and the doctor has suggested treatment, it is a good time to get a second opinion.