Bladder cancer is a condition marked by the development of a tumor within the bladder lining. While this cancer primarily originates in the urinary system, its location and the treatments used to combat it can significantly affect nearby organs, including the bowels. Therefore, the direct answer to whether bladder cancer can cause bowel problems is yes. Understanding these potential impacts is an important aspect of managing the condition.
How Bladder Cancer Directly Affects Bowels
The bladder and intestines are situated in close anatomical proximity within the pelvic cavity. This close relationship means that a growing bladder tumor can exert physical pressure on adjacent bowel segments.
This pressure can lead to various bowel symptoms. Individuals might experience changes in their regular bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea, as the tumor interferes with normal bowel function. Abdominal discomfort, pain, or bloating can also arise from this physical impingement.
Advanced bladder cancer can directly invade nearby bowel tissue, further disrupting its function. Spread to regional lymph nodes or the peritoneum can also indirectly lead to bowel issues like blockages. These effects are observed with larger or more advanced tumors.
Bowel Issues from Cancer Treatments
Surgical removal of the bladder, known as a radical cystectomy, often requires the use of a segment of the bowel to create a new pathway for urine, such as an ileal conduit or neobladder. This procedure can disrupt normal bowel function, potentially leading to issues like adhesions, which are bands of scar tissue that can form and obstruct the bowel, or altered bowel motility. Patients undergoing neobladder formation might also experience a higher risk of paralytic ileus, a temporary paralysis of bowel movement, in the initial days after surgery. Long-term complications, such as bowel obstruction, can occur in a percentage of patients years after cystectomy.
Radiation therapy directed at the pelvic area to treat bladder cancer can also affect the intestines. This can cause radiation enteritis, an inflammation of the small intestine, or radiation proctitis, inflammation of the rectum. Acute effects, which occur during or shortly after treatment, often include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and urgency. Chronic effects, developing months or even years later, can lead to persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, pain, or changes in bowel habits. Up to 75% of patients receiving pelvic radiation may experience acute symptoms, and a percentage can develop chronic issues.
Systemic chemotherapy drugs, which circulate throughout the body to target cancer cells, can also impact the rapidly dividing cells lining the digestive tract. This can result in various gastrointestinal side effects. Common issues include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Some individuals may also experience mucositis, which is the inflammation and ulceration of the digestive tract lining, from the mouth to the anus. The specific side effects and their severity depend on the type and dose of chemotherapy drugs administered.
Recognizing and Reporting Bowel Symptoms
Bladder cancer patients should be aware of various bowel-related symptoms, regardless of whether they stem from the tumor itself or from treatment. Changes in bowel habits are common, including new or worsening constipation, where passing stools becomes difficult, or diarrhea, characterized by frequent, loose stools. Abdominal pain, cramping, or bloating are also reported symptoms. Other indicators can include nausea, vomiting, or the presence of blood in the stool. Changes in stool consistency or shape, such as narrower stools, or a feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation, can also occur.
While these symptoms are not unique to bladder cancer and can be caused by many other factors, it is important for bladder cancer patients to report them to their healthcare team. Keeping a log of symptoms can be helpful. This log should include information such as when the symptoms started, how often they occur, their severity, and anything that seems to make them better or worse. Documenting these details provides information that can aid in diagnosis and guide appropriate management strategies. Prompt reporting allows for timely evaluation and ensures any issues are addressed effectively.
Working with Your Healthcare Team
Open and honest communication with your oncology team is important when experiencing bowel problems related to bladder cancer. This team typically includes doctors, nurses, and dietitians, who contribute to your care. It is important to avoid self-diagnosing or attempting to self-treat bowel issues, as these symptoms can have varied causes requiring professional assessment.
Your healthcare team can help determine the underlying reason for your bowel problems, whether they are direct effects of the cancer, side effects from treatment, or unrelated conditions. They can offer guidance and prescribe appropriate interventions to manage symptoms. Effective management of bowel issues can enhance your quality of life both during and after bladder cancer treatment. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and express any concerns to ensure all aspects of their well-being are addressed.