Characteristics of hematuria caused by bladder cancer

Clinically, bladder cancer patients may experience hematuria, but compared with other diseases, this symptom is not specific, and some bladder diseases and urinary tract diseases may also cause hematuria. So, what are the characteristics of hematuria in bladder cancer patients?

1. Painless: When hematuria occurs, the patient does not feel any pain or other discomfort symptoms, which is medically called painless hematuria. This is different from the pain in the kidneys and ureters caused by stones, and different from the frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination caused by cystitis. However, if the tumor is necrotic, ulcerated, or infected, bladder irritation symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination may occur.

2. Intermittent: Hematuria occurs intermittently and can stop or alleviate on its own. The interval between two episodes of hematuria can be several days, months, or even half a year, which can easily give patients the illusion that hematuria has been cured or disappeared, thus affecting medical examinations. Hematuria caused by other diseases is often not intermittent, but persistent and will not stop on its own.

3. Types of hematuria include gross hematuria and microscopic hematuria: gross hematuria can be identified by the naked eye, with a large number of red blood cells mixed in the urine, and the urine is bright red or meat-washing water-like, with blood streaks or blood clots; microscopic hematuria cannot be found with the naked eye, but red blood cells can be found under a high-power microscope. Generally, gross hematuria is about 1000ml of urine mixed with at least 1ml of blood, which indicates that the symptoms of hematuria are more serious.