MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER

Approximately 25% of bladder cancers are muscle-invasive. It means that cancer tumours have grown through the lining of the bladder into or through the bladder muscle. In most cases, this type of cancer is treated through surgery to remove the bladder completely (called a “radical cystectomy”) and to create a new path for urine to leave the body.

In certain very specific cases, treatment may be used which avoids surgery. There could be many reasons for not using surgery to completely remove the bladder. If you’re older, your urologist may feel that surgery is too risky, you may have other health issues that increase the risk from surgery, or you may have personal reasons for not wanting this major surgery.