Signs and Symptoms
Blood in the urine (hematuria) is the most common symptom. It eventually occurs in nearly all cases of bladder cancer. The blood may be visible during urination or invisible except under a microscope, which is discovered when analyzing a urine sample as part of a routine examination.
Blood in the urine has many possible causes beyond cancer. For example, it may result from a urinary tract infection or kidney stones. Clearly, such a symptom would be significant enough to warrant a diagnostic investigation, which is necessary to determine whether bladder cancer is present.
Other symptoms of bladder cancer may include frequent urination and pain upon urination (dysuria). These symptoms, too, may be caused by a host of other urological conditions.