It may start with something a man almost always ignores. A tiny drop of blood in the urine, but no pain, no fever and no other obvious sign that something may be wrong. “It’s probably nothing”, is what a man is likely to say to himself. 

For many men, the instinct may be to wait and see if it happens again. But that moment is an important warning sign, which should never be brushed aside. 

June is Men’s Health Month, a reminder for men to pay closer attention to their health and get checked out whenever something seems wrong.

Bladder cancer may not be discussed as often as other cancers, but it is a serious condition affecting both men and women. Consultant urologist Dr. Belinda Morrison says the disease is an abnormal growth of malignant, or cancerous, cells in the urinary bladder. The Global Cancer Observatory estimated in 2022 that Jamaica had 125 new cases of the disease and 67 deaths from it per year. 

The Main Warning Sign

“The most common warning sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine,” says Dr. Morrison. This blood may be visible, or it may only be detected through testing. Importantly, it is often painless. Some people may also notice an increased urge or frequency to urinate, while others may have no symptoms.

Men should not wait to see if symptoms go away. Blood in the urine should always be checked by a doctor as soon as possible. 

Understanding the Risks

Risk factors are cigarette smoking, occupational exposure to chemicals, especially in industries such as rubber, leather, textiles, painting, printing, firefighting and pesticide work.

Prolonged exposure of the bladder to these agents can eventually cause cellular and DNA damage, which leads to the formation of bladder cancer.

Early Action Matters

Bladder cancer is usually diagnosed by a urologist through a procedure called a cystoscopy, which allows the doctor to examine the bladder and perform a biopsy on any suspicious growth.

When found early, treatment may include a minimally invasive removal of the tumour, sometimes combined with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy placed directly into the bladder. Dr. Morrison says, “Four of these chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs were recently added to the National Health Fund (NHF) benefits list.”

You Are Not Alone

Persons diagnosed with bladder cancer have options. There is now support available under the NHFCard as the condition is one of the four most recently added, bringing the total covered to 28. NHFCard beneficiaries enrolled for bladder cancer are now able to access subsidies for drugs to treat their condition, effectively lowering the cost of treatment, which can become burdensome.  

This Men’s Health Month, take a proactive step. Do not ignore blood in the urine or any unusual urinary symptoms. Speak with a doctor early. It could make all the difference.