Bladder cancer and bladder infection share many of the same symptoms (increased urgency, frequency and pain with urination or incontinence), which can make it hard for you to determine which one you have. In this article, we'll explore how the conditions differ and ways to tell them apart.
Symptoms
Bladder Infection
Do you experience a burning feeling when you urinate or an intense urge to urinate only to let out very little urine? These are common signs that you may have a bladder infection. Bladder infections are more common than bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer symptoms are far more complex and typically include a change to the appearance of your urine. Your urine may become orange, pink, rusty brown, dark red, or bright red in color, which would indicate there’s blood in your urine, Verywell notes. However, blood in urine is also a sign of a bladder infection.
Other symptoms common in cases of bladder cancer include:
- The need to urinate more frequently, even when your bladder isn’t full
- Pain—including burning, or general discomfort—when you urinate
- Pain in the lower back, mid-back, or side
- Urinating when you’re not meaning to
- Trouble getting the urine stream started
- Feeling like something is blocking the flow of urine
Causes
Bladder cancer
According to Verywell Health, "Bladder cancer occurs when cells of the bladder lining grow out of control and start spreading to other parts of the organ and, potentially, other parts of the body. This growth can disrupt the normal functioning of the bladder and other essential organ systems. If left untreated, bladder cancer can be deadly."
Bladder infection
Bladder infections, sometimes called cystitis or urinary tract infections (UTI), are caused by a germ—usually bacteria—that takes residence in the bladder. Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI, however, UTIs can develop in any part of the urinary tract.
In females, the bacteria typically comes from the vagina or the bowel. In males, bladder infections are usually due to issues like enlarged prostate, which restrict normal urine flow.
Men are less prone to developing bladder infections, however, when they do develop an infection, it is often due to an underlying issue like an enlarged prostate.
Bladder infections cause inflammation and disrupt the normal working of the urinary tract. When they spread to the kidneys, they become more dangerous and painful.
Diagnosis
Bladder Infection
To determine if you have a bladder infection, your doctor will order a set of tests on your urine, including a urinalysis to test if there is bacteria in your bladder or urinary tract and if your immune system is fighting an infection
If UTIs are a regular occurrence for you, your doctor may also look for underlying issues in the urinary tract through a procedure called a cystoscopy. He or she may also order urodynamic testing, which shows how well urine moves through the different parts of your urinary tract.
Bladder Cancer
In addition to the tests you took to determine if you have a bladder infection, your doctor will perform several other tests, including an internal exam of the vagina or rectum to see if they can feel any lumps in your pelvic area.
You may also have to undergo a set of X-rays called an intravenous pyelogram, which allows your doctor to check the kidneys, ureters and bladder for cancer.
During the cystoscopy exam, your doctor may order a biopsy of the bladder to remove a sample of the inner lining of the bladder in the area they think is cancerous. In some cases, a surgeon may opt to remove the entire tumor.
A pathologist will look at the cells in the biopsy sample for signs of cancer.
Bladder infections and bladder cancer may have some of the same symptoms, but they are ways to get to the bottom of what is going in. It is important to see your healthcare professional so he or she can get you on the right path toward treatment.
