Cancer Survivors Network - Comments for "Symptoms?" Comments for "Symptoms?" en-csn Unfortunately <p>Unfortunately, there is no common symptom for bladder cancer. Pain is seldom present, as in almost never, and hematuria is almost always present but is most often microscopic, so the patient doesn't even know it's there, a lab test would find it, but without pain the doctor is unlikely to order a test to look for it. Burning and pain are symptoms of infection, and any time you see blood in your urine and you don't have pain or burning your doctor should have you evaluated for bladder cancer, as this is the most common presenting symptom. Never let the doctor dismiss hematuria without pain and/or burning as an infection and any time you have an infection a culture and sensitivity (C&amp;S) should be done to identify the bacteria causing the infection. That way, if there is no infection, you know it and can be screened for bladder cancer. Unfortunately, bladder cancer is often found late as there aren't any symptoms to look for, really. On the up side, it's not as aggressive as some cancers, so while you may, like me, have a very large tumor, it is less likely to have spread despite it's having been present for a long time. My oncologist believes my tumor was present for at least 4 years before discovered, and so far (cross your fingers) my cancer is confined to my bladder.</p> <p>Your symptoms are not typical bladder cancer symptoms, and I would consult with the gynecologist first, then see if your primary care thinks a urological consult is in order. But rest assured, the burning pain is NOT indicative od bladder cancer. On the contrary, bladder cancer is almost always painless--and that is NOT a good thing.</p> Sat, 08 May 2010 21:37:16 +0000 spookie comment 827120 at bladder cancer <p>My husband is a bladder cancer patient he has a bladder the size of a beach ball self caths 4x aday will have more cancer removed from his bladder on the 1st this will be his 2nd time in 3 yrs to have cancer removed I would recomend anyone that shows any symptoms have it checked out. I am recovering from colon cancer on chemo now he has never had to have chemo thank God.</p> Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:18:55 +0000 lcarper2 comment 771922 at I was recently diagnosed <p>I was recently diagnosed with Stage I bladder cancer. I had all the symptoms you described, and then some. I highly recommend you do a cystoscopy at a urologist's office. It is a *very* quick procedure that they can do IN the doctor's office to look around inside the bladder. This is how they detected my bladder polyps. IF your doctor finds polyps, I recommend they be proactive about it and schedule an out-patient cystoscopy and biopsy at the hospital to have them removed and biopsied. I am a 32 year old female and do not fit hte profile for bladder cancer at all, and yet here I am. So, definitely don't wait on it. HTH</p> Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:13:57 +0000 emptyboxcars comment 771154 at