Today we’re gonna talk about bladder cancer. Cancer in general is when cells grow out of control, so if a cell of the lining of the bladder starts to grow out of control and forms a tumor or a growth, that’s called bladder cancer. We’re talking about the lining of the bladder that’s in contact with the urine. At this point it’s useful to review a little bit about bladder anatomy.

The bladder is a hollow, muscular sphere. Its job is to store urine that it gets from the kidneys. When you’re ready to urinate, the bladder muscle squeezes and expels the urine out the urethra tube. The lining of the bladder, if you could look at it, looks like a smooth, shiny surface. It’s called mucosa, and it’s very similar to the lining of the inside of your cheek. This lining is in constant contact with the urine, and is prone to form cancerous growths in some patients.

Key Takeaways

1. Cancer in general is when cells grow out of control.

2. If a cell of the lining of the bladder starts to grow out of control and forms a tumor or a growth, that’s called bladder cancer.

3. The bladder is a hollow, muscular sphere. Its job is to store urine that it gets from the kidneys.

4. When you’re ready to urinate, the bladder muscle squeezes and expels the urine out the urethra tube. The lining of the bladder – called muscosa – looks like a smooth, shiny surface, is in constant contact with the urine, and is prone to form cancerous growths in some patients.