Tests, Treatments & Therapies for Bladder Cancer At the University of Colorado Cancer Center

At the University of Colorado Cancer Center, we use the most minimally invasive approach possible for both diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. We recognize that both work-up and management requires a multidisciplinary approach with numerous specialists working closely together.

We use both standard treatments and those being tested in clinical trials. You might consider participating in a trial, which are designed to improve current treatments or get information on new treatments. If a new treatment is proven better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.

Tests are only as good as the doctors who report and interpret them. That’s why our doctors—who work together as a patient’s care team—are the highest trained specialists in the state. Our pathologists are specially trained to recognize the subtle differences in bladder cancer test results; this can significantly affect treatment plans and outcomes.

Staging and Detection Tests

Once a cancer has been diagnosed, it is very important for doctors to find out where the cancer may have spread (the “stage” of the cancer) to determine the best possible treatment plan for you. To find out, doctors use staging tests, which include:

  • Different types of scans
  • Different ways to take tissue samples to look for tumor cells microscopically (biopsy tests)

Scans and other tests may also be used:

  • In a “surveillance program” looking for any signs of relapse after treatment
  • In a “screening program” to detect cancer early in individuals at high-risk
  • To monitor responses to treatment

The following tests and procedures may be used to find (diagnose) bladder cancer:

Physical examination – Helps doctors diagnose or find the cause of a patient’s symptoms and provides a standard way of monitoring any change in function throughout treatment.

Cystoscope – A doctor uses a small tube with a camera attached at the end to look inside your bladder.

Urine cytology – A specialist examines a sample of your urine under a microscope, and looks for cancerous or precancerous cells. 

Urine culture – A urine sample is tested in a laboratory for the presence of infection-causing bacteria.  

Biopsy – A sample of your bladder tissue is removed and examined under a microscope.

Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) – Dye is injected into your bloodstream and an X-ray is taken to show the path of the dye. This helps determine the cause of blood in the urine.

Retrograde pyelography – This is similar to the IVP, but dye is injected into the ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), making the lining of the bladder, ureters and kidneys easier to see.

Chest X-ray and bone scans – These tests help determine if your bladder cancer has spread to the lungs or bones of the body.

CT scan (CAT scan) – An X-ray device and a computer are used to create a series of detailed pictures of the pelvis. This can help determine if your bladder cancer has spread within the pelvic area. A special contrast material, or dye, may be injected into a vein to help abnormal tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called:

  • Computed tomography
  • Computerized tomography
  • Computerized axial tomography

Ultrasound – An image is taken to help determine the size of your bladder cancer. 

Treatments

Surgery

Surgical Oncologist – a doctor who specializes in cancer operations—will perform an operation to remove the bladder and other areas that are affected by cancer.

Radiation Therapy (“Radiotherapy”):

Radiation therapy involves using X-rays and other types of medical radiation aimed at specific parts of the body to:

  • Kill cancer cells
  • Prevent cancer cells from developing or recurring
  • Improve many of the symptoms caused by cancer

Radiation therapy can be:

  • Used before surgery to make the operation easier (this is called “neoadjuvant” treatment)
  • Used after surgery to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back (this is called “adjuvant treatment”)
  • Almost as effective as surgery in people who are not fit enough for an operation
  • Better than surgery when used together with chemotherapy for certain cancers (this is called “chemo-radiotherapy”)

Chemotherapy and other drug-based treatments:

Anti-cancer drug treatments – Chemotherapy—and new “targeted therapies”—involve using drugs that kill, slow down or damage cancer cells. Many new drugs are being developed.

View current bladder cancer clinical trials available at UCCC.

Anti-cancer drug treatments may involve:

  • Single drugs or combinations of drugs.
  • Intravenous injections or tablets/capsules.
  • Taking the drugs in repeating patterns, called “cycles”, that usually last three to four weeks.
  • Taking some drugs every day or only on a few days within the cycles.
  • Taking other medicines to reduce or eliminate side effects associated with chemotherapy.
  • Taking targeted therapies, often with very little side effects, on their own or in combination with standard chemotherapy.
  • Access to new drugs or vaccines on their own, or added into standard treatments, in clinical trials.

Chemotherapy and targeted therapies can:

  • Be given before surgery to make the operation easier
  • Be given in combination with radiotherapy to make both treatments more effective
  • Be given after surgery to reduce the chances of cancer coming back
  • Successfully control advanced cancer and many cancer-related symptoms

Biologic therapy (biotherapy or immunotherapy)

Biologic therapy uses your immune system to fight cancer. Substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost, direct or restore the body’s natural defenses against cancer.

Clinical Trials

The goal of clinical research is to improve treatment outcomes and reduce treatment side effects or long-term toxicities. Clinical trials provide the latest treatments because they evaluate:

  • New drugs
  • New combinations of therapies
  • New treatment delivery methods

Because we’re the Rocky Mountain region's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center —one of only 39 in the United States —your treatment will always include the latest and most comprehensive care options.

Learn more about clinical trials at UCCC.