5 bladder red flags

Experts outline changes in bathroom habits that could signal cancer. By CAMILLA FOSTER

- BY CAMILLA FOSTER

A GROUNDBREAKING treatment for advanced bladder cancer that doubles survival time has been approved for NHS use.

The combination includes enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which clinical trials found led to improved survival rates for patients when tested against platinum-based chemotherapy.

As this treatment offers new hope for patients it is estimated that 1,250 people a year could benefit from the treatment experts are urging people not to overlook the early warning signs of the disease.

Early action can mean the difference between a manageable condition and a life-threatening one.

WHAT IS BLADDER CANCER?

“Cancer of the bladder involves abnormal growths that can cause symptoms both within the bladder and beyond if it spreads around the body,” explains James Douglas, consultant urologist at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital. “It is the seventh most common cancer in men, and the 11th commonest cancer overall in the UK for men and women.”