Bladder cancer: What are the main types?
Bladder cancer affects many people each year. In the US in 2024, it was the 6th most common cancer, after breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, and skin cancers.
Bladder cancer grows in the wall of the bladder
The bladder is a hollow, balloon-shaped organ. It is found in the lower part of the abdomen. Its main job is to store urine.
Bladder cancer grows in the bladder wall. The bladder wall has 3 main layers:
- The inner layer is called the urothelium. It is a lining that protects the inside of the bladder from urine
- The middle layer is called the lamina propria. It has blood vessels and provides support
- The outer layer is muscle. It helps squeeze urine out of the bladder when a person goes to the bathroom
The most common type of bladder cancer, by far, is urothelial carcinoma
Uncommon types of bladder cancer
Unlike urothelial carcinoma, the other types of bladder cancer are rare:
- Squamous cell carcinoma (only 3% to 5% of bladder cancers)
- Adenocarcinoma (only 1% to 2% of bladder cancers)
- Small cell carcinoma (< 1% of bladder cancers)
- Sarcoma (very rare)
Doctors describe bladder cancer by how far it has grown into the bladder wall
As urothelial carcinoma grows, it can move into or through the two deeper layers of the bladder wall (the lamina propria and the muscle).
For treatment purposes, doctors usually describe bladder cancer by whether it has reached the outer layer of the bladder wall (the muscle layer):
- Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has not grown into the muscle layer. It is also known as superficial bladder cancer
- Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) has grown into the muscle layer of the bladder wall, and possibly deeper. These cancers are more likely to spread, and they tend to be harder to treat
Bladder cancer can spread outside the bladder, too
Over time, bladder cancer might grow outside the bladder and into nearby structures. When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic. If bladder cancer spreads, it tends to go to the:
- Lymph nodes
- Bones
- Lungs
- Liver
Bladder cancer is often detected early
84% of bladder cancers are found in early stages (in situ and localized cancers):
- 50% of bladder cancers are found while still in the inner layer of the bladder wall. These are called non-invasive or in situ cancers
- 34% of bladder cancers are found after they have spread into the two deeper layers of the bladder wall. These are called localized cancers
7% of bladder cancers are found after they have spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes outside the bladder. These are called regional cancers.
5% of bladder cancers are found after they have spread to other parts of the body. These are called distant or metastatic cancers.
Early detection of bladder cancer leads to better outcomes
The chance of surviving 5 years after a diagnosis of bladder cancer is not the same for everyone. It varies greatly, depending on how early a person’s bladder cancer is found and treated:
- 97% for in situ bladder cancer (only in the inner layer of the bladder wall)
- 72% for localized bladder cancer (only in the bladder)
- 40% for regional bladder cancer (spread beyond the bladder to nearby lymph nodes or organs)
- 9% for distant or metastatic bladder cancer (spread beyond the bladder to a distant part of the body)
The earlier bladder cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving 5 years after being diagnosed.
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