Bladder Cancer: What You Need to Know

Surgeon emphasizes that it's important to see a urologist if you notice any of the symptoms

AURORA, Colo., July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a relatively common type of cancer. That's the one thing Janet Kukreja, MD, director of urologic oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, both located at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, wants people to know about bladder cancer.

"It's one of those cancers that, for some reason, not a lot of people talk about," she said. "It's something people don't really see on their radar when they get it, but it's incredibly common, and they're not alone."

Kukreja also wants people to know that only a doctor can confirm or rule out bladder cancer. "You really have to listen to your urologist and your doctor about your treatment options. And I think any of them, when it's not disease that's spread, are quite good and patients do quite well."

Following are some facts about bladder cancer, from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network:

Incidence of cases:

• Bladder cancer is diagnosed in about 85,000 people and kills 18,000 people annually in the United States. 
• Bladder cancer is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. It is the fourth most common cancer in men (about 63,000 new cases annually) and seventh in women.

Causes of bladder cancer:

• Smoking is associated with about 50% of bladder cancer cases.
• Exposure to certain chemicals is linked to an increased risk, including chemicals found in printing materials, textiles, leather, rubber and certain paint products.
• Age: The disease is more common in people over age 55, and the average age of a person diagnosed is 73.
• Race: The reason is unclear, but Caucasians are twice as likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than African Americans or Hispanics. Asians have the lowest rate.

Bladder cancer warning signs:

• Blood in urine
• Painful urination
• Urgency to urinate, but no urinary tract infection
• Frequent urination
• Feeling the need but unable to urinate 

For more information, visit the CU Cancer Center website.

About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado – which see more than two million adult and pediatric patient visits yearly. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, the CU Anschutz Medical Campus delivers life-changing treatments, patient care and professional training and conducts world-renowned research fueled by $910 million in annual research funding, including $757 million in sponsored awards and $153 million in philanthropic gifts. 

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SOURCE University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus