Bladder Cancer Screening: An Overview
Bladder cancer screening is used to test people for early stages of bladder cancer before there are any
bladder cancer symptoms. At this point, a routine, effective bladder cancer screening test has not yet been developed. However, there are bladder cancer screening tests that can be used for people who have had bladder cancer.
Understanding Cancer Screening
Scientists have studied patterns of cancer in the population to learn:
- Which people are more likely to get certain types of cancer
- What things around us may cause cancer
- What things we do in our lives that may cause cancer (see Bladder Cancer Cause).
This information can help doctors recommend:
- Who should be screened for certain types of cancer
- What types of screening tests people should have
- How often these tests should be done.
If your doctor suggests certain cancer screening tests as part of your healthcare plan, this does not mean he or she thinks you have cancer. Screening tests are done when you do not have symptoms. Patients should talk to their doctor about the potential benefits and risks of screening tests and whether they have been proven to decrease the risk of dying from cancer. If your doctor suspects that you may have cancer, he or she will order diagnostic tests. In most cases, diagnostic tests are not suitable for screening people who have no symptoms.
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