This involves the removal of a small sample of bladder wall at the time of cystoscopy. The area removed (the biopsy) is usually cauterized(burnt) to minimize the amount of blood in the urine after the procedure. The aim of this is to determine if there is any cancerous tissue.

During the telescopic examination of the bladder (cystoscopy), bladder tumours are ‘shaved’ or resected from the inside of the bladder wall with the aim of removing the entire tumour. The equipment and concept of surgery is same as the ones used in TURP. Bleeding is controlled at the end of surgery and patient is kept on catheter for 1-2 days. It is usually done under general anaethesia or regional anaethesia depending on size and location of tumour. Intravesical chemotherapy is often given after TURBT. More details on intravesical chemotherapy can be found below.

Treatment of bladder cancer largely depends on the histology, grade and stage of disease. Speak to your urologist to get more information.

Routine administration of intravesical chemotherapy has been shown to reduce risk of bladder cancer recurrence and progression.

Intravesical immunotherapy - commonly BCG is used in select cases depending on stage and grade of bladder cancer. Patients suitable for intravesical BCG has been shown to have significant reduction in progression of bladder cancer.

Radical cystectomy is a surgical procedure in which the entire bladder is removed. Bladder cancer is aggressive and tends to spread to other areas of the body, and thus the bladder and the surrounding organs are usually removed.

It is traditionally done using open method and associated with significant complications. Introduction of laparoscopic or robot-assisted method has significantly shorten operating time, lessen blood loss and reduced associated complications.