Types of Bladder Cancer

Types of Bladder Cancer

Bladder tumors are grouped into several types by how their cells look under a microscope. The type of bladder cancer you have can affect your treatment options. This is because different types can respond differently to treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. The main types of cancers that affect the bladder are:

* transitional cell carcinoma (also called urothelial carcinoma)
* squamous cell carcinoma
* adenocarcinoma
* small cell

These same types of cancer can also grow in other places in the urinary tract, such as the lining of the kidney (called the renal pelvis), the ureters, and the urethra. In fact, patients with bladder cancer sometimes have a similar tumor in the lining of the kidneys, ureters, or urethra. Therefore, when someone is found to have a cancer in one part of their urinary system, the entire urinary tract needs to be checked for tumors.