Symptoms in the legs warn of danger

Early-stage bladder cancer often has no obvious symptoms and can easily be mistaken for common urinary problems. One of the lesser-known warning signs of bladder cancer is leg swelling.

Bladder cancer is a type of cancer in which cells develop from the lining of the bladder, the organ that stores and excretes urine. The most common type is transitional cell carcinoma, accounting for about 90% of cases, according to the health website Medical News Today (UK).

Swollen legs can be a warning sign of bladder cancer

Common symptoms of bladder cancer are blood in the urine, painful urination, urgent urination, frequent urination, pain in the lower abdomen or lower back, and leg swelling if the cancer spreads and compresses the lymphatic system.

Bladder cancer occurs in both men and women. However, men over 55 are at higher risk, especially those who smoke, are exposed to toxic chemicals or have a history of persistent urinary tract infections. If detected early, the disease has a good prognosis.

Pay close attention to swollen feet.

Bladder cancer can cause leg swelling, especially in its advanced stages. This is because the cancerous tumor affects the lymphatic and circulatory systems. Specifically, when bladder cancer spreads, the tumor will invade or compress the lymph nodes in the pelvic area. This will hinder the drainage of lymph fluid from the legs, causing fluid retention and leg swelling.

In some cases, a large tumor can put pressure on the inferior vena cava, blocking the flow of blood from the legs back to the heart. This causes blood to pool in the legs, causing swelling and can even lead to deep vein thrombosis. If bladder cancer spreads to organs such as the liver or lungs, it can cause circulatory problems and increase the risk of fluid retention, leading to generalized swelling of the legs.

If the swelling persists, accompanied by blood in the urine, back pain or fatigue, the patient should go to the hospital immediately for examination. These could be signs of advanced bladder cancer.

Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of the disease, the extent of invasion, and the patient's health. The main methods are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, according to Medical News Today.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ung-thu-bang-quang-trieu-chung-o-chan-canh-bao-nguy-hiem-185250310130418428.htm