The bladder is a balloon-shaped organ in the pelvis responsible for storing urine until released by the body. Its muscle fibers allow for stretching and voluntary control of urine output. Bladder conditions occur when the natural physiology is compromised on some level. This month we acknowledge bladder cancer awareness delving into causes, risk factors, and treatment options for cancer control and prevention.

How prevalent is cancer of the bladder, and who’s at risk?

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates 74,000 new cases of bladder cancer in 2015, that’s an average of 56,320 in men and 17,680 in women. Bladder cancer is more common in older adults with 9 out of 10 diagnosis in people over the age of 55.