Every year, around 1,500 people are diagnosed in Israel, most of them in their 60s and 70s/ShutterStock
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common in Israel among men and the eighth among women.
It is three times more common in men than in women.
Every year, around 1,500 people are diagnosed in Israel, most of them in their 60s and 70s, and the number has been on a moderate increase in recent years.
It is important to emphasize that without early diagnosis or in the absence of medical treatment in the early stages of the disease, the cancerous process in the bladder may penetrate the bladder wall and become metastatic.
"In any case of the appearance of the typical symptoms of bladder cancer, an urgent visit to the doctor and the appropriate inquiry may significantly improve the chances of recovery," says Dr. David Sarid, Director of the Urinary Tract Tumor Service at the Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center in Tel Aviv and chairman of the department The Israeli for tumors of the urinary system and sex.
"As with all cancers, when a disease is detected in the early stage, the chances of recovery are excellent. On the other hand - in stage 4 of a disease, there are already distant metastases, and at this stage the patient cannot be cured, but only given life-prolonging treatments. Therefore, it is very important to detect a disease early and every A symptom that turns on a red light, such as visible or hidden bleeding from the urinary tract, for example, must refer to a medical examination to rule out cancer."
What are the statistics regarding early detection of the disease?
"Around 70 percent of bladder cancer cases are detected in the earliest stage of the disease, when patients can still be completely cured and this is gratifying, partly because the nature of this cancer is to return superficially even after a previous successful resection. The cancer spreads to the walls of the bladder and dealing with it is through repeat resections and preventive treatments afterwards. The disease must not be allowed to erupt and penetrate deep into the layers of the bladder wall."
Did the months of war and the state of uncertainty in the country affect the number of applicants to find out about suspected bladder cancer?
"The security situation definitely had an effect and especially had an effect at the beginning of the fighting, when everyone was in a state of shock and the country was under an unusual missile attack. People felt that their lives were in real danger and their attention was not given to health conditions, so there was a decrease in visits by new patients and visits by returning patients But pretty quickly, the situation returned to normal, we received patients for check-ups on time and most of the patients under follow-up returned to the clinics."
"Around 70 percent of bladder cancer cases are detected in the earliest stage of the disease"/ShutterStock
To what extent were the methods you adopted during the Corona period also used during the "Iron Swords" war?
"During the long period of the Corona virus, we developed a smart method of telemedicine and implemented it during the war, in order to continue monitoring and maintain a sequence of follow-ups and treatments using this tool. We, as a medical system, did not reduce personnel at all and at the same time, we increased the function during this difficult period, Out of recognition of the importance of the issue and also in terms of the outlook for the future."
Smoking and passive smoking rank high among the causes of bladder cancer.
In your opinion, the stress that people are under will be reflected in the increase in the number of people who smoke and as a result in the number of patients?
"To a certain extent, however, it is important to note that the increase in smoking, for example, is temporary and does not affect the long term or the incidence of the disease in times of war. Regarding other mental states such as depression and anxiety, we cannot point to them as reasons for the increase in the incidence of the disease. What is clear is that states of anxiety and depression harm early diagnosis and affect the therapeutic sequence, since patients are less likely to listen to the doctors' instructions."
To what extent is there awareness of the disease among the public?
"Awareness is partial, unfortunately. Not everyone understands the meaning of early detection. We raise awareness through many channels and proactive actions."
What are the main symptoms?
"Overt or hidden bleeding in the urine, burning when urinating and urgency and frequency in urinating. These are symptoms that sometimes occur even in benign conditions such as a urinary tract infection, a benign enlargement of the prostate or stones in the urinary tract, therefore, if one or more of these symptoms appear, you should see a doctor as soon as possible urologist in order to undergo a series of tests and a comprehensive diagnosis. As mentioned, it is recommended to catch the disease at an early stage. Once the tumor penetrates the muscle, the chances of cure decrease significantly and there is a great risk of the disease returning even after the tumor is removed or external radiation therapy is given to the doctor. When it comes to a metastatic disease, the life expectancy The average is only about a year and a half. At this stage of the disease, it is possible to go from a completely healthy person to a very sick person in a short time."
What are the main lines of treatment?
"The urologist refers the patient to the necessary tests, primarily for a general urinalysis and for malignant cells, a cystoscopy and a special CT scan, which helps in detecting disease centers in the urinary collection system. In the early stages of a disease, after excision of the tumor, various drugs are instilled into the bladder, some of which provoke a reaction of the immune system in order to prevent the recurrence of the tumor in the bladder. If the cancer was discovered in more advanced stages or has become metastatic, we are sometimes forced to give chemotherapy or immunotherapy, in order to extend the life expectancy of patients. Fortunately, today there is a new and very potent combination of immunotherapy drugs And an innovative drug of the ADC type that practically doubled the expected life expectancy of our metastatic patients, but again of the utmost importance as mentioned, it is an early diagnosis that can save the lives of many patients."
Dr. Tamar Fishman, clinical pharmacist and member of the board of the Israel Pharmacy Association
, adds: "Bladder malignancy is among the most common types of cancer in Israel. The incidence of the disease increases with age and is more common among men. Most tumors form in the cells lining the bladder and there are 2 main types: superficial bladder cancer and invasive bladder cancer (penetrates beyond the mucosa into the muscle and may spread to the lymph nodes or to other organs). The choice of treatment depends on the stage of the disease and the characteristics of the patient. The treatment options are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and biological treatments. A high percentage of cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage, and the treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Medical follow-up is very important due to the recurrence rates In some cases, and in order to reduce the rate of recurrence, it is possible to do special local washings of the bladder (chemotherapy or immunotherapy), the purpose of which is to cause a local reaction in the bladder and help prevent the recurrence of the tumor. It is important to emphasize that a preventable risk factor for the development of bladder cancer and its recurrences is smoking Smokers have a 4 times higher risk of developing bladder cancer. Quitting smoking is helpful in reducing the risk of developing the disease."
"Bladder malignancy is among the most common types of cancer in Israel"/ShutterStock
*Choosing the possible treatment is up to the therapist who writes the prescription in consultation with the patient.
**The information is as of February 2024. For more information, please contact the attending physician.
***Provided as a service to the public by Estellas Pharma International B.V. and the Pharmacy Organization in Israel (without involvement in the content).
In collaboration with the pharmacy organization in Israel
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