Bladder cancer - European Society for Medical Oncology

WHAT IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW TO DEFINE THE OPTIMAL
TREATMENT?
Doctors will need to consider many aspects of both the patient and the cancer in
order to decide on the best treatment.
Relevant information about the patient
• Gender
• Personal medical history, previous illnesses and treatments
• History of bladder cancer in relatives
• General well being and specific physical complaints
• Results from the clinical examination*
• Results from laboratory tests on blood counts, kidney and liver function
Relevant information about the cancer
• Staging*
Doctors use staging to assess the extension of the cancer and the prognosis of the patient. The TNM
staging system is commonly used. The combination of size of the tumor and invasion* of nearby
tissue (T), involvement of lymph nodes* (N), and metastasis* or spread of the cancer to other organs
of the body (M), will classify the cancer as being at one of the stages described below.
The stage* is fundamental in order to make the right decision about the treatment. The less
advantaged the stage, the better the prognosis. Staging is performed when the clinical and
radiological investigations* and the histopathological examination* of the biopsy* are completed. If
surgery is indicated, a second staging will be performed on the basis of the laboratory examination of
the surgical specimen.
The table below presents the different stages of bladder cancer. The definitions are somewhat
technical. It is therefore recommended to ask doctors for more detailed explanations.
Bladder cancer: a guide for patients‐ Information based on ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines ‐v.2012.1 Page 9
This document is provided by Reliable Cancer Therapies with the permission of ESMO.
The information in this document does not replace a medical consultation. It is for personal use only and cannot be modified,
reproduced or disseminated in any way without written permission from ESMO and Reliable Cancer Therapies.