Four characteristics of elderly bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the genitourinary system. Its incidence is positively correlated with age. More than half of bladder cancer patients are over 60 years old. The older they are, the worse the tumor differentiation is, and the poorer the prognosis is. Elderly bladder cancer has the following characteristics:

1. Painless gross hematuria

Hematuria, especially intermittent painless macroscopic hematuria, is the most common symptom in elderly patients with bladder cancer. More than 80% of patients have hematuria when they seek medical treatment, and 20% of them have severe hematuria symptoms.

2. Typical bladder irritation triad

The bladder irritation triad refers to the symptoms of frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating. When these symptoms occur, they often indicate a more malignant invasive bladder cancer or carcinoma in situ. When the bladder wall is extensively infiltrated, the patient may have suprapubic pain or penile pain, which worsens after urination.

3. Continuous and worsening urination difficulties

Elderly patients with bladder cancer may experience urination difficulties and discharge of abnormal contents. The degree of urination difficulties continues to worsen, and even urine retention occurs. Because most elderly men have varying degrees of prostate hyperplasia, which leads to urination difficulties, it is important to distinguish them from this.

4. Metastatic symptoms

In the late stage of bladder cancer in the elderly, when distant metastasis occurs, symptoms such as pubic mass, anemia, weight loss, edema, nausea, vomiting, etc. may occur. If the pelvic lymph nodes are invaded, pain, radiating pain in the lower limbs, and lower limb reflux disorder may occur; when metastases to the bones, bone pain in the corresponding parts may occur.