Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer Nomogram

This prediction tool calculates the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer five years after radical cystectomy

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is ready to help. Our team of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who treat bladder cancer are dedicated to providing the highest quality of treatment, care, and support for men and women with this disease. Patients also have access to innovative techniques, new drugs, and clinical trials of the most advanced treatment approaches.

In this section, you can find information about our expertise in treating patients with bladder cancer, the services we offer patients with this condition, and research underway at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

Our Approach & Expertise
Memorial Sloan-Kettering doctors treat nearly 400 bladder cancer patients each year. Our goal is to provide comprehensive therapy, delivered with the highest quality of care, to optimize each patient's chance of cure.
Our Team of Experts
Our team of doctors includes urologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and specialty nurses who work together to diagnose and treat patients with bladder cancer.
From Our Bladder Cancer Experts
Watch videos of our bladder cancer experts talk about treatment, as well as quality of life issues following therapy.
Overview
Nearly 70,980 Americans will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2009. The most common type of bladder cancer -- transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), also known as urothelial carcinoma -- accounts for about 90 percent of cases.
Risk Factors
The most significant risk factor for bladder cancer is cigarette smoking. A smoker's risk of developing the disease is twice that of a nonsmoker. Occupational exposures to various chemicals may also increase the risk of bladder cancer.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, which is not always visible to the naked eye and is usually not accompanied by pain.
Diagnosis
Physicians usually diagnose bladder cancer by examining cells in the urine under a microscope and by inspecting the bladder with a cystoscope.
Treatment
The treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of disease at the time of diagnosis.
Our Clinical Trials
A continually updated listing of Memorial Sloan-Kettering's current clinical trials for bladder cancer.
Survivorship & Support
Ensuring a high quality of life for patients with bladder cancer begins with the first stages of treatment and continues with a routine of follow-up exams and tests even after treatment is completed.
A Patient's Story
Jerry was 65 when he was diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Read about his treatment and supportive care at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.