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Treatments for bladder cancer

  1. Home
  2. Cancer information
  3. Cancer types
  4. Bladder
  5. Treatment
Print

If you have bladder cancer, your healthcare team will create a treatment plan just for you. It will be based on your health and specific information about the cancer. When deciding which treatments to offer for bladder cancer, your healthcare team will consider:

  • stage
  • grade
  • risk group
  • your performance status
  • other medical problems you have
  • what you prefer or want

Expert review and references

  • American Cancer Society. Treating Bladder Cancer. 2016. https://www.cancer.org/.
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Bladder Cancer. 2017.
  • Cancer Care Ontario. Bladder Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-up Care Pathway Map (Version 2017.02). 2017. https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en.
  • Chang SS, Bochner BH, Chou R, et al. Treatment of non-metastatic muscle-invasive bladder cancer: AUA/ASCO/ASTRO/SUO Guideline. Journal of Urology. 2017.
  • Chang SS, Boorjian SA, Chou R, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: AUA/SUO Guideline. Journal of Urology. 2016.
  • Feldman AS, Efstathiou JA, Lee RJ, Dahl DM, Michaelson MD, Zietman AL. Cancer of the bladder, ureter, and renal pelvis. DeVita VT Jr, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA. Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2015: 65:896-916.
  • Mark JR. Bladder cancer. Porter RS (ed.). Merck Manual Professional Edition. Kenilworth, NJ: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.; 2017. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional.
  • National Cancer Institute. Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) Patient Version. 2018. https://www.cancer.gov/.
  • National Cancer Institute. Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) Health Professional Version. 2018. https://www.cancer.gov/.
  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Bladder Cancer (Version 5.2018).
  • Penn Medicine. All About Bladder Cancer. University of Pennsylvania; 2017. https://www.oncolink.org/.
  • sanofi-aventis Canada, Inc.. Product Monograph: Libtayo. https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00050602.PDF.

Treatments for early stage bladder cancer

Surgery and immunotherapy are the main treatments for stage 0 bladder cancer. Learn about treatment plans and options for stage 0 bladder cancer.
Learn more on Treatments for early stage bladder cancer

Treatments for stage 2 and stage 3 bladder cancer

Surgery and chemotherapy are the main treatments for stages 2 and 3 bladder cancer. Learn about treatment plans and options for stages 2 and 3 bladder cancer.
Learn more on Treatments for stage 2 and stage 3 bladder cancer

Treatments for metastatic bladder cancer

Surgery and chemotherapy are the main treatments for stage 4 bladder cancer. Learn about treatment plans and options for stage 4 bladder cancer.
Learn more on Treatments for metastatic bladder cancer

Treatments for recurrent bladder cancer

Treatment of recurrent bladder cancer depends mainly on where the cancer recurs and past treatment. Learn about treatment of local or metastatic recurrence.
Learn more on Treatments for recurrent bladder cancer

Surgery for bladder cancer

Surgery is the primary treatment for bladder cancer. Learn about trasnsurethral resection (TUR), cystectomy and urinary diversion.
Learn more on Surgery for bladder cancer

Immunotherapy for bladder cancer

Immunotherapy is commonly used to treat bladder cancer. It helps strengthen the immune system to fight cancer.
Learn more on Immunotherapy for bladder cancer

Chemotherapy for bladder cancer

Chemotherapy is commonly used to treat bladder cancer. Learn how and when chemotherapy is used and which chemotherapy drugs are used.
Learn more on Chemotherapy for bladder cancer

Targeted therapy for bladder cancer

Targeted therapy is sometimes used to treat bladder cancer. It uses drugs to target specific molecules (such as proteins) on cancer cells or inside them.
Learn more on Targeted therapy for bladder cancer

Radiation therapy for bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is often treated with radiation therapy. Learn about radiation therapy – when it is used, how it is given.
Learn more on Radiation therapy for bladder cancer

Follow-up after treatment for bladder cancer

Follow-up after bladder cancer treatment varies. Learn about scheduled follow-up appointments and the procedures and tests that may be done.
Learn more on Follow-up after treatment for bladder cancer

Medical disclaimer

The information that the Canadian Cancer Society provides does not replace your relationship with your doctor. The information is for your general use, so be sure to talk to a qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions or if you have questions about your health.

We do our best to make sure that the information we provide is accurate and reliable but cannot guarantee that it is error-free or complete.

The Canadian Cancer Society is not responsible for the quality of the information or services provided by other organizations and mentioned on cancer.ca, nor do we endorse any service, product, treatment or therapy.

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