The bladder is the sac in which urine from the kidneys is stored until you urinate. It can stretch to hold over 400 millilitres of fluid, although the urge to pass urine happens before this limit is reached. Bladder tumours are growths originating in the inner lining of the bladder. We do not know what causes bladder tumours. We do know that they are more than twice as common in men than in women.
Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in men, and the tenth most common in women.
It is most likely to appear between the ages of 50 to 70 years. Cigarette smoking, Chronic bladder infections, Exposure through work to strong chemicals such as benzidine and some dyes, Treatment with chemotherapy such as cyclophosphamide. The amount of blood lost may be enough to colour the urine red, or it may only be evident with a special dipstick test. Unlike blood in the urine as a result of a bladder infection, bladder tumours do not usually cause pain. The amount of blood passed is not proportional to the size of the tumour, and the amount may vary, with days when no blood is passed at all.