Information for the public

Treating muscle‑invasive bladder cancer

Treating muscle‑invasive bladder cancer

You may be offered a CT scan or an MRI scan to help find out whether the cancer has grown beyond the muscle and if so, how far it has grown.

If they are suitable for you, you should be offered treatment with a choice of either:

A urologist who does operations to remove the bladder, an oncologist and your clinical nurse specialist should discuss both options with you. They should tell you what's likely to happen if you have either type of treatment, or if you choose not to have treatment. They should explain the effect each treatment might have on your general health and your quality of life, including your sex life. They should tell you what the risks of each treatment are, and how well the treatments have worked for other people.

Chemotherapy before having your bladder removed or starting radiotherapy

If it's suitable for you, you should be offered chemotherapy with a combination of drugs before you have your bladder removed or start radiotherapy. This is called 'neoadjuvant' chemotherapy. You should have an opportunity to talk about the possible advantages and disadvantages of this chemotherapy with an oncologist who treats people with bladder cancer.

After having your bladder removed (cystectomy)

For more information see having an operation to remove your bladder.

After having radiotherapy

After your radiotherapy has finished, you should be offered a cystoscopy to check your bladder:

  • every 3 months for the first 2 years then

  • every 6 months for the next 2 years then

  • every year after that.

For more information about cystoscopy see looking inside the bladder.

You may also be offered CT scans of your abdomen, pelvis and chest 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after your radiotherapy has finished, and scans of your upper urinary tract every year for 5 years.

Questions to ask your care team

  • How does radiotherapy compare with cystectomy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

  • Will you offer me chemotherapy before I start my radiotherapy or have my cystectomy? How will this be decided?

  • Are there any other options for treatment?

  • Can I talk to someone who has had these treatments?

  • Is there some other information (like a leaflet, DVD or a website I can go to) about these treatments that I can have?

  • How will I know if the cancer has come back after my treatment? What should I look out for?

  • Is there anything I can do to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back?

  • What will happen if the cancer does come back?

  • Information Standard