This is called a biopsy. A pathologist examines the samples under a microscope for the presence of cancer cells. The biopsy is the test that is used to make the diagnosis of bladder cancer. Other tests that may be done include CT scans , radioactive bone scans , and ultrasound tests that use high-frequency sound waves to produce an image, called a sonogram, of the bladder. When bladder cancer is detected in its early stages, the survival rate is over 90 percent.
Men are three times more likely to get bladder cancer than women.
People who smoke heavily and use artificial sweeteners are more at risk than people who smoke heavily and do not use artificial sweeteners. Other factors that may slightly increase risk include living in urban areas, drinking chlorinated water, and working with certain chemicals used in the rubber and textile industries. Another possible cause of bladder cancer is exposure to a parasite called Schistosoma haemotobium, found in South America, Africa and Asia. Coffee has been studied as a potential risk factor, but the results of the studies have been inconsistent. Women who have had radiation therapy for cervical cancer have a significantly increased risk of bladder cancer.