Women & Bladder Cancer at Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network


Facing Bladder Cancer Newly Diagnosed FAQs Request Patient Handbook Clinical Trials Patient Tips Resources & Support Support Groups Women & Bladder Cancer Glossary of Terms Inspirational Stories Quick Links Frequently Asked Questions BCG Shortage Information Join Our Mailing List Clinical Trials Clinical Trials Matching Service Volunteer Donate Patient Tips Online Store Walk for Bladder Cancer What's Up, Doc? The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) is proud to announce that we have been designated a Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) Charity Partner! BCAN has been allocated 25 guaranteed entries for the 38th Annual Marine Corps Marathon to be held on October 27, 2013; an event that sold out in 2 hours and 41 minutes in 2012. We are looking at building “Team BCAN” to not only run in the event and raise awareness for bladder cancer but to raise needed funds for fostering research and patient education. According to the Marine Corps Marathon, there is not a required qualifying time to participate in the event, but all runners should maintain at least a 14 minute mile pace. In order to become a member of “Team BCAN” and officially have a slot in this year’s race, you must be registered through BCAN. No federal or Marine Corps endorsement is implied. If you are interested in becoming a member of BCAN’s team or have any questions, please contact Larry Rzepka, BCAN’s Executive Director, at lrzepka@bcan.org.	Women and Bladder Cancer Bladder cancer has long been considered a disease of older men. Though it is more prevalent in men, studies have shown that women are more likely to present more advanced tumors and have a worse prognosis than men at almost every stage of the disease. According to a report published by the National Cancer Institute, the survival rate for women with bladder cancer lags behind that of men at all stages of the disease. African-American women, particularly have poor outcomes when diagnosed with bladder cancer. They present with the highest proportion of advanced and aggressive tumors when compared to African-American men and Caucasian men and women. In addition, the number of women diagnosed with bladder cancer has been increasing. BCAN applauds Keith Richards’ wife, Patti Hansen, for sharing her story of facing bladder cancer in the August 2010 issue of Vogue Magazine. Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, and probably the least talked about. On behalf of the over 600,000 Americans living with this disease, BCAN commends Ms. Hansen for her bravery in openly telling her story of living with bladder cancer. It is wonderful that she is able to show that a bladder cancer survivor can maintain her active life and her radiant beauty. It is important for women to understand their risks for bladder cancer and know what to ask their doctors. Awareness is the key: in most cases, bladder cancer is treatable, but prompt diagnosis is critical. Why the disparity? In many cases, there are significant delays in diagnosing bladder cancer in women. Many women ignore the most basic symptom—blood in the urine—which they may associate with menstruation or menopause and delay reporting this symptom to their doctors. Even after reporting the problem to their doctors, blood in the urine may be initially misdiagnosed as a symptom as post-menopausal bleeding, simple cystitis or as a urinary tract infection. As a result, a bladder cancer diagnosis can be overlooked for a year or more. What do women need to know? • Bladder cancer can affect women at any age. • Smoking is the greatest risk factor. Smokers get bladder cancer twice as often as non-smokers. • Bladder cancer symptoms may be identical to those of a bladder infection and the two problems may occur together. If symptoms do not disappear after treatment with antibiotics, insist upon further evaluation to determine whether bladder cancer is present. • Bladder cancer has the highest recurrence rate of any form of cancer—between 50-80 percent. What can you do? The most important thing for you is to know the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer and report them to your physician immediately. The most common sign—blood in the urine—can be visible (though it may sometimes appear dark brown or orange) but could also only be detected under a microscopic examination. It is important to visit your doctor for routine examinations. Most bleeding associated with bladder cancer is painless, however, about 30 percent of bladder cancer patients experience burning, frequent urination or a sensation of incomplete emptying when they urinate. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. Survivor Stories The good news is that in most cases, if caught early, bladder cancer is a manageable disease. There are tens of thousands of women bladder cancer survivors living today. Here are some of their stories (Click on the name to read the story): Veronica Diagnosed in 1980 at age 34 with non-invasive bladder cancer Maureen Diagnosed in 1998 at age 49 with non-invasive bladder cancer Karen Diagnosed in 1999 at age 52 with Stage IV bladder cancer Lisa Diagnosed in 2003 at age 23 with non-invasive bladder cancer Diana Diagnosed in 2005 at age 59 with muscle invasive bladder cancer Angela Diagnosed in 2005 at age 32 with high grade bladder cancer The information and services provides by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) are for informational purposes only. The information and services are not intended to be substitutes for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are ill, or suspect that you are ill, seek professional medical attention immediately! BCAN does not recommend or endorse any specific physicians, treatments, procedures or products even though they may be mentioned on this site	Search Our Site WOMEN AND BLADDER CANCER STATISTICS It is estimated that in 2009, more than 18,000 women were diagnosed with bladder cancer and more than 4,000 women died from the disease. Women are likely to be diagnosed at more advanced stages of the disease than men. The 5-year survival rate for women is equal to the 10-year survival rate for men.