Bladder cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the bladder lining grow and multiply without control, forming tumours that can remain confined to the inner lining or invade deeper into the bladder’s muscle wall. Most bladder cancers begin in urothelial cells, the specialized cells that line the bladder, urethra, ureters, and renal pelvis. Certain tumors have the potential to penetrate deeper layers of the bladder. As the cancer progresses through these layers and into the muscle wall, treatment becomes challenging.
Additionally, urothelial cells present in the kidneys and ureters, the tubes linking the kidneys to the bladder, may also be affected. While bladder cancer typically occurs in the bladder, a similar type of cancer can also develop in the kidneys and ureters, though it is less common.