After Six Years of Bladder Cancer, a New Bladder Helped Colorado Woman Look Forward
When a Colorado woman in her 70s first noticed blood in her urine, she knew something wasn’t right. She brought it up with her doctor, and a urine test confirmed there was blood. She was referred to a urologist, beginning a years-long journey with bladder cancer and with urologist Shandra Wilson, MD, at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital. For this Colorado woman, who asked that her name be withheld to protect her privacy, the cancer was caught and stayed inside the bladder. That mattered. When bladder cancer is found early, there are often more treatment options. Still, early-stage bladder cancer can come back, which is why follow-up care remains important.
Over the years, she tried several treatments, including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and gene therapy. The cancer either returned after treatment or did not fully go away. When it came back again, Dr. Wilson talked with her about the next option: removing the bladder and creating a new one, called a neobladder.
A neobladder is a new pouch made inside the body to store urine after the bladder is removed. Surgeons use about 18 inches of the small intestine to create the pouch, place it where the original bladder was, and connect it to the ureters to carry urine from the kidneys, and the urethra, to out of the body.
It was not an easy surgery. She spent time recovering in the hospital and continued rebuilding her strength at home.
A neobladder does not work exactly like the bladder a person is born with. People often need to learn a new way to empty it, using abdominal muscles and certain body movements. Some people may also need to use a catheter if the neobladder does not empty fully. Loss of bladder control can happen after surgery, especially early in recovery, and follow-up care is needed.
For her, there was one point of reassurance: because the neobladder was made from her own tissue, she understood that rejection was not a concern.
Today, she is focused on getting stronger and returning to the activities she enjoys with her family.
Staying active in ways that felt manageable, she believes, helped her through recovery. Her doctor encouraged her to keep moving and keep doing what she could.
Bladder cancer often starts in the cells that line the inside of the bladder.
One of the most common signs is blood in the urine. It may look red, pink, rust-colored, or cola-colored. Sometimes the urine looks normal, and blood shows up only on a lab test. Other symptoms can include frequent urination, painful urination, burning with urination, urgency to urinate without having an infection or back pain.
Blood in the urine does not always mean cancer. It can also happen with an infection, kidney stone, or other conditions. But it should not be ignored. If you see blood in your urine or have urinary changes that worry you, make an appointment with a doctor.
Some people have a higher risk of bladder cancer. Risk factors include smoking, age over 55, being male, exposure to certain chemicals, previous cancer treatment, chronic bladder inflammation, and a personal or family history of cancer. But bladder cancer can also affect people who do not have obvious risk factors.
That is part of why she wants people to pay attention.
Her first sign was simple: blood in her urine. She spoke up. Her doctor checked it. And that one conversation helped start the care she needed. She also connected with a care team that stayed with her.
“She was with me the whole bit,” the woman said of Dr. Wilson.
Now, as she continues rebuilding her strength, she is focused on what comes next.
Don’t ignore blood in your urine
Talk with a doctor if you notice:
- Blood in your urine, even once
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- New urgency to urinate
- Back pain or other symptoms that worry you
These symptoms can have many causes. A doctor can help find out what is going on and recommend next steps.