Bladder Cancer Treatment

Bladder cancer is a deadly disease and a significant public health problem.

Bladder cancer is:

• the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the US
• the single most expensive cancer to treat
• believed to exist in half a million Americans

UC San Diego Health System Expertise in Treating Bladder Cancer

A. Karim Kader, MD is one of the most experienced bladder cancer surgeons in the United States. Dr. Kader and other urologic cancer specialists at UC San Diego Health System perform robot-assisted radical cystectomy and urinary diversion for patients with bladder cancer.

Understanding Cystectomy

Cystectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the bladder. It is used to treat bladder cancer that has spread into the bladder wall (stages II and III) or to treat cancer that has recurred following initial treatment.

For most patients, radical cystectomy, or removal of the entire bladder, is the most effective option. During a radical cystectomy nearby lymph nodes, part of the urethra, and nearby organs that may contain cancer cells are also removed. Performing these delicate procedures robotically allows the surgeon to magnify the surgical area, making it much easier to work around the tiny nerves that affect sexual function.

In men, the prostate, the seminal vesicles, and part of the vas deferens are removed. In women, the cervix, the uterus, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and part of the vagina are removed.

After the bladder is removed, your surgeon will create a urinary diversion. In some cases that can be a new bladder that's made from a segment of bowel and attached to the urethra, that allows you to urinate normally through the urethra.

Using the da Vinci robotic system, our surgeons can perform this delicate procedure with greater visibility and precision than other techniques.

Diet and Bladder Cancer

Prior research has suggested that the following may protect against bladder cancer:

• carrots
• cruciferous vegetables (including cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli)
• multivitamins
• selenium
• vitamin A-related compounds
• vitamin C
• vitamin E

Research and Clinical Trials on Bladder Cancer

DIBS
UC San Diego Health System is conducting a first-of-its-kind study to shed more light on the impact of diet on bladder cancer. The Diet Intervention in Bladder Cancer Study (DIBS) is a federally funded, randomized clinical trial. It is a telephone-based effort that is concentrated on increasing consumption of cruciferous vegetables for people with early stage bladder cancer. Read more on DIBS here.

Scientific Articles on Bladder Cancer View recent titles and abstracts of scientific articles on bladder cancer written by UC San Diego Health System’s urologic surgeons.