Symptoms of bladder cancer include blood in the urine and pain in the pelvic region or back, according to Mayo Clinic. Blood in the urine may be apparent or may only show up during urinalysis.
The initial warning sign of bladder cancer is usually hematuria, or blood in the urine, notes the American Cancer Society. The blood may be dark red, pink or even orange. Hematuria may occur one day and not the next, or urine may be clear for long periods of time before blood returns. Urinalysis sometimes detects blood in clear urine.
In addition to hematuria, changes in bladder habits or signs of irritation of the bladder may also indicate bladder cancer, explains the American Cancer Society. This includes the urge to urinate right away, even when the bladder is empty, the need to urinate more frequently or a burning sensation when urinating.
Although hematuria is a symptom of bladder cancer, it does not always indicate the presence of cancer, reports the American Cancer Society. More typical causes of blood in the urine include benign kidney diseases or kidney stones. Once bladder cancer grows or metastasizes to other regions of the body, symptoms may include the loss of ability to urinate, swelling in the feet and bone pain. Other advanced bladder cancer symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss and lower back pain generalized to one side.
