The earlier bladder cancer is diagnosed, the better the outcome of treatment. Since there is no “screening” test for bladder cancer at this time, most people are diagnosed after they show some symptoms, such as blood in the urine. Because symptoms such as blood in the urine can be a sign of other conditions, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), there can be a delay in diagnosing bladder cancer.
Here are some of the tests and procedures used to detect bladder cancer. Please note that, since individual cases and facilities are different, not all of these tests may be required or available.
After diagnostic tests are done, your doctor will review all of the results with you. If the diagnosis is cancer, these results also help the doctor describe the cancer (called staging and grading).