Emerging Issues In Bladder Cancer Research

By Minnie Whitley


One of the priorities in medicine today is finding causes of diseases. Research has to be conducted in order to establish the real causes of diseases. Bladder cancer research is one of the most seriously carried out researches in this field. Doctors are working hard to totally finish this disease. They are concerned with DNA changes in cells, adoption of urinal tests in diagnosing affected cells, getting rid of bladder cancer, and modern tactics of handling this type of cancer.

Research on changes in the DNA of bladder cancer cells has made it easier for scientist to understand the prognosis of those infected with cancer. It has also helped them deal with bad cells that come up again after treating the patient.

Specialists in this field are also involved in analyzing urine in attempts to diagnose anomalies in the cells. They look out for telomerase; a substance usually found in large quantities in cancer patients. The urine test also helps identify cells that develop again and again.

Patients are always vulnerable to cancerous cells in the bladder or even other parts of their bodies. Study is, therefore, presently concerned with finding ways of totally killing affected cells. Some of the things being done by doctors to kill these cells include; use of specific diets, therapies and specific drugs. Vaccines have also been developed to help prevent infection of normal cells.

New Surgical methods are also being applied by surgeons in removing unwanted cells. A group of surgeons use artificial hands in carrying out surgery. Unlike in normal surgery, surgeons make small incisions on patients. They then use these incisions in carrying out operations. Since patients have small wounds on their bodies, they take less time to heal as compared to normal surgery. This method is still being tried out on bladder cancer, but has been very successful in other types of the same disease. Doctors have also come up with another type of drug that can be put in the affected area to reduce the probability of recurrence.

Photodynamic therapy is another new treatment being considered in treating this cancer in its early stages. A drug that is sensitive to light is put into cancer cells and left there for some days. An instrument is then used to focus some laser light on the inner parts of it. This light converts the drug into a substance that kills the cells. This therapy eliminates cancerous cells and only affects normal cells to a small extent. This method of treatment is, however, disadvantageous in the sense that, only cells on the surface of the bladder are treated, and worse still, severe burns can be caused if the bladder is exposed to light for long.

It has also become common for doctors to use targeted therapy in treating this disease. They use drugs that are made with the purpose of working on specific parts of the body. Some of the drugs target veins and arteries that make it possible for cells to grow abnormally.

Doctors also use gene therapy in fighting cancerous cells. This is therapy that changes the makeup of these cells. Once the genetic content of cells is changed, cancer is eliminated. This therapy is, however, still under examination to check whether it is good for treating infected cells of the bladder or only works on other types of cancer.




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