This is a very good question and one that is misunderstood by a lot of people.
When the bladder is infected with cancer AND if it is diagnosed early, the cancer can generally be removed without having to take out the bladder.
If the cancer is NOT diagnosed for a period of time, it will eventually invade the bladder wall. The outside of the bladder wall leads to the abdominal cavity. If the cancer has invaded the bladder wall, it can eat right through the wall and get into the abdominal cavity. From the abdominal cavity, it can spread throughout the body. Secondary cancer sites can be set up in the lungs, the liver, or any organ carried there by the infected lymphatic system. The lymph nodes in the groin are generally the first organs infected when the cancer breaches the bladder wall.
Further details in next post.
Posted on July 24th, 2008 by Neil
Filed under: Bladder Cancer - Background, My Cancer
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