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Bladder cancer:

Bladder cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the United States. It is estimated that over 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with bladder cancer this year. There are far more men than women diagnosed with bladder cancer (about 3 men to every woman). It is encouraging to note that there has been a drop of about 25% in the diagnosis of bladder cancer over the past 20 years.

The urinary bladder is a key component in the urinary tract system. It receives urine that is made in the kidneys. The urine is passed from the kidneys through a small tube called a ureter. This tube connects the kidney to the bladder. From the bladder another small tube, the urethra, empties the urine.

PICTURE
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The bladder is like a balloon in that it can expand to hold fluids. It is shaped somewhat like the front part of a boat. There are several terms that describe portions of the bladder:

	The apex is the point where the lateral T-sides and the superior (top part) of the bladder meet.
	The base is considered the posterior (back part) of the bladder.
	The trigone (which in Greek means triangle) is an area without much movement and is part of the base of the bladder, where the ureters empty the urine from the kidneys and urethra begins.

PICTURE
(ANATOMY)

The bladder has a three-layered wall. From the outside to the inside they are the serous, the muscular wall and the mucous layers.

PICTURE