Approx. 90% of people diagnosed with bladder cancer are above 55 and most of them are men. That’s because men are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with this disease than women.

Bladder cancer starts from the urinary bladder. It is the growth of the abnormal cells that multiply themselves rapidly. Your bladder, which is responsible for holding the urine, resembles the size of a grapefruit. Like any other cancer, the early diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer can prevent complications from the disease. Plus, there is a higher chance of survival in bladder cancer patients if the disease is diagnosed at the first stage. That’s where the Trans Urethral Resection of a Bladder Tumor comes into the picture.

The TURBT is a medical procedure used for the diagnosis and treatment of the early stage of bladder cancer.  Now, in a vast majority of bladder cancer patients diagnosed with the first stage, cancer has not invaded the muscle wall. A biopsy is one of the common cancer diagnostic procedures where the uro-oncologist in Navi Mumbai collects a tissue sample from the affected area. Not only does the doctor collect the samples for diagnosis, but they also try to remove the cancerous growth at the same time. The combination of biopsy and resection (removal of the tumor growth) is called the transurethral resection of a bladder tumor.

How is the Bladder Cancer Surgery Performed?

The patient is given general or regional anesthesia to numb the area. In the bladder surgery procedure, the surgeon inserts a resectoscope into your bladder. It is a completely non-invasive procedure since there is no cut or incision needed for inserting this instrument.
A resectoscope can detect the presence of cancerous growth in and around your bladder while removing the tumor. The samples of the tissues collected in this process are sent to the lab for further testing. Once the tumor is removed, the doctors burn the remaining cancerous cells with the help of an electric current. After they are done with the process, chemotherapy is given to the patient.

What’s the Recovery Period for TURBT?

The doctor inserts a fine tube into the bladder for urine drainage for a couple of days following the process. It might be normal to spot blood in the urine initially, but it is only a matter of time before you can resume your routine operations. You need to drink plenty of fluids to keep your bladder healthy and clean.

The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis mainly, but the doctor might ask you to stay for a day or two if you have any serious medical concerns. Some discomfort during urination is absolutely normal for a few days following biopsy, just make sure you drink plenty of fluids.

The bladder cancer specialist in India believes that the resection treatment can help prevent cancer from spreading in the surrounding wall. If cancer spreads in the muscles, a more invasive treatment will be needed.