Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the tissue of the bladder, the balloon-shaped organ in the pelvis that stores urine after it passes from the kidneys. Roughly 95 percent of bladder cancers form in the cells lining the inside of the bladder and are known as transitional cell carcinomas. Common symptoms are blood in the urine or painful urination, but those can be symptoms of other issues, such as infection. Bladder cancer typically is diagnosed in an early stage, when it is easier to treat and before spreading to other areas of the body. It tends to recur, though, so anyone diagnosed with bladder cancer usually requires monitoring for many years afterward.
Why UAB
U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UAB Urology among the top 50 programs of its kind in the nation, and we are widely recognized for delivering excellent genitourinary cancer care. Our medical and surgical specialists have undergone extensive training in their areas of expertise, and they are active leaders in their fields.
UAB surgeons perform many urologic procedures using minimally invasive techniques, which require only small incisions (cuts). UAB regularly uses the new da Vinci SP Single Port Surgical System, which enables surgeons to enter the body through a single abdominal incision before deploying the robot's surgical instruments. This innovative design helps improve patient outcomes and recovery times and is particularly beneficial in cancer treatment procedures, as surgeons can now access narrower spaces with better accuracy. The da Vinci SP is the only robotic system approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for urologic surgery and is well-suited for procedures involving prostate cancer, bladder cancer, ureteral reconstruction, ureteral re-implant, and much more.
RELATED SERVICES
CLINICAL TRIALS
UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials for Bladder Cancer. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information.
View Clinical TrialsMORE INFO
- Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic
Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic
The Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic takes an interdisciplinary approach to caring for patients with serious illnesses, whether they are in active treatment or have completed treatment. Our goal is to help patients fulfill their maximum physical, emotional, spiritual, vocational, and social potential.
The health professionals at the Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic help patients manage the side effects associated with cancer. Referrals to the Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic can be made by any treating physician or nurse or by patient self-referral. A broad range of insurance is accepted.
Patient appointment scheduling is flexible and based on patient needs and other concurrent treatments. Clinic sessions are held Wednesday and Friday mornings with palliative care physicians and fellows. A physician assistant is available Monday through Friday.
Our Team
Physicians and physician assistants have special expertise in complex symptom management including depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain syndromes, and others.
Nurses support patients by facilitating the clinic sessions as well as managing communication with patients. They are the front line of patient care.
Physical therapists develop individualized programs for each patient to help with coordination, balance, strength, endurance, flexibility, or range of motion. Counselors are experienced in structuring counseling sessions to meet the specific needs of each person. Individual, couple, and family sessions are available.
Nutritionists have expertise in nutrition for patients with serious illnesses.
Massage therapists are trained in all types of massage, including oncology massage, which is a specialized approach that supports the body's health before, during, and after treatment for cancer.
Our clinic is an active teaching environment with fellows, residents, and students in both medicine and nursing participating in patient care.
Location
The UAB Supportive Care and Survivorship Clinic is located on the 3rd floor of The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital.
Patients can request an appointment online or by calling UAB Healthfinder at 205.934.9999 or 800.822.8816.
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