The ‘red flag’ symptom of bladder cancer that women should be aware of – which GPs often wrongly dismiss as a side effect of menopause or a urinary tract infection
The ‘red flag’ warning signs of bladder cancer are often overlooked by GPs and wrongly dismissed as urinary tract infections, menopausal symptoms and gynecological problems, according to experts.
It is claimed that outdated guidelines mean that women under the age of 55 have to visit the GP several times on average with the same complaints before they are referred for diagnostic tests for bladder cancer.
With a recent study revealing that two-thirds of bladder cancer patients were initially misdiagnosed with another condition, there are concerns that the delays are costing lives.
‘We know from studies that women with bladder cancer visit a doctor complaining of symptoms on average five times before being referred to a specialist,’ says Dr Alison Birtle, a clinical oncologist specializing in urological cancer.
Helyn Glover from Sunderland, who was initially misdiagnosed with bladder cancer (pictured with her daughter Amy)
‘But a single episode of blood in your urine should trigger that referral.
‘There is a perception that younger women don’t get bladder cancer, but I have treated many women who were diagnosed in their 20s and 30s.
‘The GP guidelines recommend against referring women under the age of 45, but this is based on old historical data and we need to take into account that anyone can get the disease, rather than there being a general non- reference.’
In addition to blood in the urine, symptoms of bladder cancer include more frequent and painful urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, incontinence, and abdominal pain.
Approximately 10,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year, 80 percent of whom are older than 65 years. It is linked to smoking and is three times more common in men than in women.
Dr. However, Lydia Makaroff, chief executive of the charity Fight Bladder Cancer, says more telephone appointments at GPs are leading to many women being wrongly prescribed antibiotics to treat a urinary tract infection (UTI), without having a simple test that can detect such would rule out infection. and highlight possible signs of cancer.
“Women wait longer for a diagnosis than men, with younger women waiting the longest,” says Dr. Makaroff.
‘If a patient has a suspected urinary tract infection, he or she should undergo a urine test to confirm the diagnosis. But this does not happen even when patients return for the second time.
‘It means women often find themselves in a cycle of misdiagnosis and experiencing critical delays in treatment.’
Experts say the lack of awareness, stigma around symptoms, few treatment options and the fact it is wrongly seen as a disease of the elderly means bladder cancer has become known as a ‘Cinderella disease’ – bypassed by research funding, celebrity endorsement and public opinion. conscience.
A recent study found that two-thirds of bladder cancer patients were initially misdiagnosed with another condition (stock image)
However, in recent years, breakthrough treatments have increased survival rates.
In one study, incurable bladder cancer patients who received the antibody enfortumab vedotin with immunotherapy treatment pembrolizumab lived twice as long as those who received standard chemotherapy. A third ended up with no signs of illness.
The treatment will go to NHS spending watchdogs for approval later this year.
“It will be extremely disappointing for patients and doctors if it is not approved,” Dr Birtle added.
Professor Thomas Powles, director of the Barts Cancer Center and a specialist in the treatment of bladder cancer who led the trial, added: ‘I think we are going to cure large numbers of patients (with this treatment). I have been involved in many trials in my career, but this seems to me to be the most transformative and exciting.”
Elsewhere, US pharmaceutical company MSD is conducting a targeted ‘cancer vaccine’ trial on patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, which was recently successfully tested on people with melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
And Professor Simon Crabb, from the University of Southampton, is leading the £3 million Gusto trial, which is looking at personalized cancer treatment.
By examining the ‘genetic expression’ of 320 patients, the team hopes to determine the most responsive treatment: chemotherapy, immunotherapy or surgery.
But despite the exciting progress, Dr. Birtle says obtaining a diagnosis and treatment remains an ongoing battle.
‘I feel that in my 20 years as a consultant, it always seems to be an uphill battle for our bladder cancer patients, and many of them are still very young.
‘Until we review the national GP guidelines and change things, we are letting our patients down.’
What is the difference… between tachycardia and tachypnea
Tachycardia refers to an abnormally fast heart rate – defined as more than 100 beats per minute at rest.
It can be caused by heart disease, anemia, stress, anxiety and stimulant use.
Symptoms include a rapid pulse, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain.
It is rarely life-threatening and treatment may involve medications to slow the heart or cardioversion – an electric shock to return the heart to a normal rhythm.
Tachypnea refers to rapid breathing and may include wheezing or coughing.
Treatment focuses on the cause, such as inhalers for asthma or antibiotics for pneumonia. In severe cases, an oxygen mask may be necessary.