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How Dangerous are Urinary Bladder Polyps?

urinary bladder polyp surgery demonstration

It seems that more and more people are suffering from what is known as bladder polyps. Doctors are still baffled as to the exact cause of bladder polyps, although they suspect that lifestyle plays an important role. There seems to be a strong link between bladder polyps, smoking and exposure to chemical elements. Polyps are more commonly found in men, and they are usually diagnosed in people over the age of 55. Bladder polyps are also more common in people who have had an infection with the schisosmiasis parasite. This parasite releases eggs in the bladder, where they can build up in the wall, which can in turn lead to the formation of polyps and other types of cancer.

What Are Bladder Polyps?
A bladder polyp is a specific type of growth. It grows within the lining of your bladder. Often, it is a benign bladder polyp, which means it is not cancerous, but they can also be malignant. A polyp can occur in different parts of the body. They are basically abnormal growths on a mucous membrane. They are attached to the organ tissue they are growing on by a stem, giving them an almost mushroom like appearance. Most commonly, polyps grown on:
• The stomach
• The colon
• The sinus or sinuses
• The nose
• The uterus
• The bladder
• The gall bladder

What Are the Symptoms of Urinary Bladder Polyps?
It is very easy to never realize that you have a bladder polyp, as they can often have no symptoms at all. This makes bladder polyp detection very difficult. However, there are a number of common bladder polyp symptoms to watch out for, such as:
• Blood when urinating
• Needing to go to the toilet far more frequently
• Experiencing pain while urinating

Finding blood when urinating is one of the telltale bladder polyp symptoms, but it is also not one of the more common signs. It is far more likely that bladder polyps are discovered because a patient is worried about their urine frequency.

Treatment and Biopsies
If a doctor discovers bladder polyps, they will almost always request them to be removed and sent for biopsy. Generally, a bladder polyp detection is done by performing a cystoscopy. During this procedure, a cystoscope is inserted into the bladder. It has a small light and camera, which allows the doctor to view everything that is inside the bladder. The cystoscope also allows other instruments to be thread through them, which can be useful if a biopsy needs to be taken from one of the polyps. A biopsy is the removal of tissue that is then checked for cancers.

Most of the time, when someone has a bladder polyp, bladder polyp removal will be performed. Very often, this is to perform a biopsy, but it is also possible that they have grown to such a size that they are interfering with a person’s ability to pass urine, or because they cause pain and discomfort. In this case, bladder polyp removal is performed to increase someone’s quality of life. If the biopsy comes back stating that the polyp is cancerous, cancer treatment will be offered. As said, bladder polyp surgery is generally performed through a cystoscope and bladder polyp treatment is only available if the polyps are malignant.

How Dangerous Are Bladder Polyps?
Very often, bladder polyps are not cancerous, being a benign bladder polyp instead. In this case, they do not present any real danger, although they can be very uncomfortable. If they are cancerous bladder polyps, however, cancer treatment is generally very successful, so long as the cancer was caught early. The survival rates from cancerous bladder polyps are extremely high.

{ 32 comments… add one }
  • Leila September 4, 2014, 3:03 am

    I found out that, I have bladder ployps. I went to the doctor three months ago. The doctor did a scope in the office and found the ployps. He did not put me to sleep. The pain was so bad I cried. The doctors took a peice of the plopy and sent it off to be tested. The test came back benign. I had to call the office to see if he was going to remove the other plopys that are still on my bladder. It has been three months. I am having pain when urinating. There is blood in my urinan. The doctor is going to remove them, but it has been three months and I’m having problems. He also told me not to come back after the surgery. I need to no the results.

    • Tiffany July 9, 2015, 6:36 pm

      After a whole year of major hemoraging (i dont know how i never got anemic) they did a cysto and found benign polyps. Along with friable bladder (where just putting the scope in caused me to bleed out) they couldnt go in very far before they had to stop so nobody knows what’s growing higher up. My pain started after the biopsy, they put me on 7 different medicines: ditropan, atarax, botox injections, gabapentin, lidocaine, elmiron and steriods. Its been 7 months since i was diagnosed and none of these medicines are helping. So they told me it was the end of the road, that i need the organ removed in order to be pain free. Im currently waiting to get a consult with a surgeon.

      • Wendy April 15, 2016, 11:30 am

        Hi Tiffany,

        I would like to know the results of the consultation with the surgeon as well as the outcome of your situation please if you do not mind.

        Kind Regards & Best wishes
        Wendy

    • rebecca luster July 18, 2015, 5:41 pm

      please go see a differnt urologist asap sounds like that ones a quack, hun just in it for the money not your quality of life…. absurb for you to have them even that long!

    • Sky July 20, 2015, 11:55 pm

      Hi Leila how are you doing now?I hope your OK now.god bless.

    • tan August 9, 2017, 11:31 am

      Get a new doctor now. Yours is clearly wrong. You need results and your in pain. Needs to be fixed now

    • Liz February 8, 2019, 8:28 pm

      You need to see another Dr. ASAP. Mine has been very thorough and has seen me every 6 weeks after each procedure or process that I have undergone. Surgery, Laser Removal and BCG treatments. Make an appt. ASAP see another one.

  • Garry September 9, 2015, 2:21 pm

    I was recently diagnosed with a cancerous polyp on my bladder. Just turned 59. It was originally suspected due to blood in urine. I did have a CT scan (with and without the fluid). The results did show something. After a visit to the Urologist and a cystoscopy (which wasn’t as bad as I thought) I was told there was a Cancerous Polyp. Supposedly early stage. Not sure of any other details. Surgery to remove was scheduled but cancelled due to problems with bad insurance policy.
    I now have to start from square one with a new Urologist who can provide covered outpatient (preferred) surgery. I know I will have to go through the cystoscopy again. Trying to read up on cancerous polyps but so many different scenarios.
    How long can I wait to see a new urologist? Will this type cancer spread after a certain period? If so, approximate timeframe? How concerned should I be regarding a wait for treatment? Not really worried, but concerned.

    • Barry September 22, 2015, 1:06 pm

      Garry, I have had 5 operations for low grade bladder cancer (polyps). Once diagnosed, I was taken for surgery within two weeks each time. The surgery is generally quick and done under anesthesia. There is discomfort, bladder contractions, burning when urinating and blood in the urine for the first day or two following the surgery. My last surgery was on 9/19/15 and it was pretty easy, at least as far as this type of surgery goes. I held off for a couple of weeks due to travel plans, but would not want to wait multiple weeks once diagnosed. It is usually slow growing, but that depends on the types of cells comprising the cancer. I also had to follow up with a BCG treatment for 6 weeks once after my second bout, and this lasts 6 weeks. They place a this chemo directly into you bladder and it sheds the lining of the bladder, hopefully removing any latent cancer cells. May have to have this after this last surgery due to the reoccurrence.

      • Randy January 25, 2016, 10:52 am

        Hi Garry and Barry, it’s good to see your comments because my case is the same as yours. I underwent cystoscopy last August 2015 to remove the polyp in my urinary bladder which turned out malignant. My doctor said I am just very lucky since the cancer has just started (very early), TCC grade 1 was what I’ve read in the biopsy result. In fact, it was not detected with ultrasound but only through CT scan. Cancer treatment was not done on me and it’s the way it is said my doctor for the cancer at that stage. I went for second opinion and the second doctor said the same. I am monitored every 3 months and my first was last December and it was fine. Like anyone who was diagnosed with cancer, what I am really worried of is it’s possible recurrence. Has anyone tried some sort of supplement for this concern? God bless everyone. Prayers really work, believe me.

  • d Smith January 11, 2016, 9:56 am

    It is good to see other comments and experiences. I feel sorry for Leila and Tifany. They need to get better doctors. I was diagnosed with a long wispy polyp after it ruptured and I urinated blood . No assocauted pain. I had cystocpy and then surgery with laser cystoscope to remove polyps. Initial check was local anesthetic and laser surgery done under general anesthetic and painless as far as I was concerned. My polyps also benign so far but they grow and rupture with exercise and high blood pressure so not very nice to see every time you urinate. I don’t smoke cigarettes though I used to have a few small cigars a month. Not any more. I also have small nasal polyps which were cauterised away so I assume I am just prone to polyps.

  • Vicky February 20, 2016, 8:02 pm

    Hello My mum has a 5mm polyp found in the bladder, the hospital havent taken a biopsy and have asked her to come back 12 months later. Is this correct ? should it be left that long?

    • Linda April 4, 2016, 6:31 pm

      I had something very similar told to me today after my cystoscopy, of which I had performed due to blood in my urine since 2013. The Dr discovered three polyps higher in the bladder and said he was not going to biopsy them as this region does not have cancerous polyps. I thought the only definitive way to determine whether a polyp is benign or malignant is a biopsy. He also said I had an abundance of blood supply/vessels and to avoid high impact activities such as running to avoid bleeding. No follow up ordered. I’m very concerned about this.Has anyone else had a similar instance? Does anyone have an answer as to why he would not biopsy when I thought that was the only way to determine benign from malignant?

      • Joanne james June 8, 2016, 2:50 am

        without a doubt go to see another urologist – doesn’t sound right at all

  • Lucy March 14, 2016, 3:42 am

    unlike most of the people on this site I was informed by my general Doctor that I had a little blood in my urin which was microscopic she monitored the microscope blood for a few months then referred me to the urologist upon being examined by the urologist he informed me that I had polyps so he scheduled me for surgery that’s where I am today waiting for the surgery. My urologist did not seem to concern, because he believed that it was discovered early. I pray things work out for me.

  • Abdul May 15, 2016, 4:16 pm

    Thanks all for your comments and shared experience. I am a sonographer in a private clinic. I happen to come across a patient whose complain was abdominal discomfort. To cut the story short, I noticed a growth about 3cm in the anterior wall of his urinary bladder which I suspected to be a bladder polyp. I asked him to know if there is hx of bloody urination or schistosomiasis, to which he says no. He even denied painful urination. I was kind of puzzled to have asymptomatic UB mass but advised him to see his urologist with the result, as I wish him good outcome.

  • tina June 9, 2016, 8:49 am

    I’m just looking for an honest answer regarding this.. I understand having polyps found and having the in/out surgery, as it started years ago with my father, and now he is now almost 89 years old. The past few years the surgeries have been anywhere from a year to six and eight months in between and this last one he was sent home with a catheter, and several problems with only my 82 year old mother to try to take care of him. Within 14 hours the rescue had to be called three times and he had to be taken back to the hospital due to misplacement of the catheter and clotting (and sent home in a taxi!!). So basically my question/concern is if this surgery is even necessary at this point? His urologist said he had one or two polyps and they were removed. If this happens every six months but now it’s getting to the point where he needs overnight hospital care that clearly is not offered, does the risk outweigh the benefit at 89 years young?

  • joanne September 5, 2016, 9:17 pm

    hi im a worried daughter mum has had bladder polyps for 4 years now she started off with just 1 she went for her yearly check up today only to be told she now has 6 and they are taking her into hospital soon to have them all removed she also has to have chemo this time shes telling me shes ok and fine and that there not cancerous but reading up about them i think she doesnt want to tell me whats really going on i want to be there for her as i love her dearly do they give you chemo if not cancerous can someone help me

  • Marie December 16, 2016, 2:32 am

    My husband had polys removed last March (2016) and it was malignant !He had 2 more cystoscopy since then and he was fine, but yesterday he had another one and the urologist found a small polyp so he will get it removed and the dr told him he would give him a little bit of chemo Has anyone had this. He is petrified !

    • meemo January 30, 2017, 8:27 pm

      Hello , i was at the doctor today for a close friend of mine, the new medicine now for bladder tumor is not Chemo, they are using BCG , this medicine is used for tuberculosis, and it increases the Tcells that fight cancer, so they inject the BCG inside to the bladder through the penis to the bladder to kill all the malignant cells and it worked with many, so you can check with your doctor the BCG injection not the chemo and it will work , with Gods will
      good luck

  • Jenni January 10, 2017, 3:42 pm

    I am 31 and just been told today I have a large polyp on my bladder which was found via ultrasound looking for kidney/gallbladder stone’s, none detected. I have blood in my urine and my liver function is slightly raised in my bloods. GP is referring me to a surgeon bit hasn’t said what happena next. Am i right to be worried?

  • Nan January 23, 2017, 5:19 am

    What does a non mobile polypoidal area in the urinary bladder suggest?
    The urine cytology report doesn’t show any malignant cells.

  • Angela May 7, 2017, 2:26 pm

    My father has had 6 surgeries for high grade poikyps within 1 year .
    Two Sessions of 6 week BCG
    AND ONE mytomicon C currently .
    After surgery the polyps recurr within days
    Has this happened to anyone ? Within days of surgery?? He has no pain but Is 79 years old and am very concerned . The Mayo Clinic has been recommended . So confused on why this is hapenong so rapidly . The dr says his case is unique referring to the extreme rapid recurrence .

  • ahamed May 31, 2017, 11:13 am

    HI friends.. I have polyps in my bladder.. now my doctor completely removed them.. but I have same symptoms .. if anybody have this same problem.. tell me.. and give me some suggestions for cure it. I m just 24 year. If ist possible to again growth in my bladder

  • Alan June 8, 2017, 12:21 am

    I started seeing some blood in my urine for the first time last Wednesday evening. Blood still there Thursday so rang my local clinic to see my GP. Saw him the next day, Friday. He ordered an Ultrasound of my bladder, which was done the following Monday. I also got a referral to see a Urologist on the following Wednesday. That was yesterday. A large polyp was seen from the Ultrsound, so a CT scan was done that afternoon and some blood test done. Was booked into Hospital for next Tuesday to have the polyp removed and a biopsy to be done on it. Any further treatment will of course depend on the biopsy results.
    So less than a week from first symptoms to having it removed. I’m 68 and live in Australia.

  • Robynne June 9, 2017, 3:51 am

    i am a 47 yr old female and 12 mths ago, after spotting blood in my urine my dr sent me for a CT, MRI, X-RAYS, they came back with 2 tumors 2x4cm and 3x3cm they were like mushrooms, anyhow I had surgery almost straight away at one of the BEST cancer hospitals.
    I was told It was only going to be day surgery.
    When I woke up there was a nurse taking out my cathada which really hurt
    but went back to sleep, then I was woken up to go home. I wasn’t feeling very good and told the nurses but they sent me home anyway.
    12hrs later I was rushed to emergency at my local hospital half dead, they had no idea what was wrong until by miracle a dr that was going home saw me and picked up on it
    My bladder Wall had been perforated twice and for nearly 20 hours my urine and whatever else had leaked into my body.
    I was told after this as i have a low grade cancer and not to worry It took about 6 weeks to finally get over it all it was hell.
    Went back for checkup and cystoscopy on 7th week and it had already started growing back so after another surgery (at a different hospital) they removed two more, 2mths later another cystoscopy another four were found 2 were surface carcenomias. I had them removed then 3mths later again they were back, i was supposed to have mytomicin this time but at the last min they decided not to? I don’t know why but by this stage I was so confused by the lack of info i was given so the only way i thought i could find a end to this was to go back to the start back to the first cancer hospital.
    well I just went for my app with a new surgeon on Thursday and he now has said i never had cancer in the first place i have polyps. i don’t understand can anyone help?

  • rebecca March 7, 2018, 8:20 pm

    why isn’t a parasitic in the treatment? oh yeah, as long as you are sick, they make more money.

  • Beth March 21, 2018, 8:03 pm

    I had been diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma in my duodenim in 2013. I went through radiation & I am now 5 yrs.cancer free! However I started having more stomach pain & a urine test was done & found blood in it.I was sent to a urologist & he went into my bladder (said it wouldn’t hurt..but very painful) He just said “look at all of those polyps !” Which looked like a bunch of mushrooms,at least 10-12 of them. He said it was nothing to worry about & that he wasn’t going to mess with them.He didn’t do a biopsy,knowing my history of cancer.It has been two years & I have never went back to him.I am now having pain & swelling & am wondering if I should go back to him or try to just deal with it! He is the only urologist in my area & I don’t know if I want to go through that pain again if I have the same outcome.He had terrible bed side manners also! I am turning 50 this year & I want to enjoy my life without having so much pain if I don’t have to..Can anyone please help me figure out what to do? Thank You.

  • John March 24, 2018, 8:10 pm

    Hello I got diagnosed with a 5mm beninge polyp. Also trapped stole wich they can’t reach the polyp they have tried prep wash and also picolax and senna. I am 30 years old male.. pains in the stomach also little blood. Had the pains for longer than 2 years. They found the bladder polyp through ultrasound the people at the hospital told me eat healthely and also excersize.

  • Md.Habib Hossain April 7, 2018, 12:12 pm

    polyps in my urine bladder.just 10 days ago blood come with my urine.i was just shocked Why ?painless bleeding with urine.i was just go to urologist and he just tell me to stop smoking and some investigation.when i got urine test i saw everything is good and urine culture test report is no growth,and when i go to ultrasound than shows a polyps in my urine bladder line and size are 1.6 mm.
    what can i do …..?

  • Sofia May 14, 2018, 11:34 pm

    Hello everyone! I recently joined this website because of my mom’s situation. She’s 55 years old and also suffers from multiple sclerosis. A year ago or so, we found out that she had malignant bladder polyps (T1 grade) which she had removed. She was supposed to get the BCG treatment done but a few months later (April 2018), they found out more polyps in her bladder (also a T1 grade) so she had them removed too. She was going to get the BCG treatment again, so today (May 2018) we went to the doctor’s appointment so she could have a cystoscopy done to start with the treatment. They found several polyps again. I’m worried because they grew very fast, in just a little bit more than a month.

    In the face of this quick growth of polyps, the doctor proposed having her bladder removed (cystectomy) since she thinks that doing another TUR surgery isn’t going to work out due to the fast reappearance of polyps in the zone and there’s also a risk of them being more invasive. She suggested a neo-bladder reconstruction which uses part of the intestine to recreate the organ. And, as another option, she also suggested an urostomy which consists of an artificial opening for which urine passes through to a bag. She also said that we still have the possibility to keep doing these TUR surgeries to remove the polyps but that there’s the risk that they will keep developing too.

    We are not really sure about what to do since we believe the neo-bladder reconstruction is a very big surgery that has its risks and it would be nice to read your opinions and experiences.

    Thank you!

  • Leanne July 27, 2018, 2:34 pm

    I had a cystoscopy in May 2018. At my follow-up appointment this week, the urologist told me I had bladder polyps. I didn’t know anything about them so I did not know to ask if he biopsied them. He must not have because he did not mention it. A few years ago, I also had polyps in my colon. These were discovered during a colonoscopy. Should I go back to my urologist and ask why he did not biopsy them just to be safe? I am 50 years old and do not have a history of cancer.

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