Bladder Cancer Types & Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Conditions & Diseases: Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Types

Bladder cancer is classified according to three main criteria:

I. The cell's type by where the cancer starts.

- 1. Transitional cell carcinoma: This type of cancer develops in the innermost tissue layer of the bladder called transitional epithelium or urothelium. About 99 percent of all bladder cancer cases are transitional cell carcinoma. The cells that form the transitional epithelium are able to stretch when the bladder is full and shrink when the bladder is empty.

- 2. Squamous cell carcinoma: This is a type of cancer that starts in the flat cells (called squamous cells) that may form in the bladder after-long term infections or irritations.

- 3. Adenocarcinoma: This type of cancer develops in the glandular cells that may form in the bladder after a long-term inflammation or irritation.

II. The cancer extent (how far the cancer has spread).

1. Superficial bladder cancer: Cancer that is confined to the lining of the bladder.

2. Invasive bladder cancer: Cancer that has spread either to the muscle wall of the bladder, or to adjacent organs or lymph nodes.

III. The tumor’s growth pattern.

1. Papillary tumors: This is a wart-like or mushroom-like, non-invasive tumor that has a short stem attached to the lining of the bladder.

2. Nonpapillary tumor: This is a less common, invasive type of tumor that is hard to be treated.

Article by Alina Morrow, MS
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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Page Last Modified:
07/28/2010