What will happen if bladder cancer recurs and is not treated

Bladder cancer refers to a variety of malignant tumors originating from the bladder, which means that abnormal cells proliferate uncontrollably. The most common bladder cancer cells come from the mucosal epithelium of the inner surface of the bladder, and the official name is transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). Surgical resection is one of the most commonly used treatments for early bladder cancer. So what happens if bladder cancer recurs and is not treated? In this case, the consequences are very serious and life will be threatened.

The most worrying issue for bladder cancer patients after surgery is postoperative recurrence and metastasis, especially for bladder cancer patients. Because a significant difference between bladder cancer and other cancers is that it is easy to recur after surgery. For example, most patients who undergo bladder preservation surgery will relapse within two years. The most common sites for postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer are local lymph nodes nearby and lungs, liver, bones, etc. in the distance. If local lymph nodes metastasize or adjacent tissues are invaded, the patient may have discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen. For patients who retain their bladder, signs of recurrence include hematuria, frequent urination, painful urination, and some people also have difficulty urinating or urine retention.
In fact, in order to detect signs of recurrence early, patients should go to the hospital for regular checkups after surgery even if they do not have any symptoms. Regular checkups are generally done every three months. If there is no recurrence after one year, the checkup time can be appropriately extended.