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- Physical Examination
- • There are few findings for early disease other than a bladder or pelvic mass discovered by digital rectal
- examination.
- • With more advanced disease, there may be enlarged lymph nodes in the groin, abdomen or neck, a mass in the
- lower abdomen or an enlarged liver.
- • Feeling the bladder with both hands while the patient is under anesthesia to determine the depth and extent of
- tumor penetration.
-
- Blood and Other Tests
- • Urinalysis for blood in the urine (hematuria).
- • Complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate anemia .
- • Chemistry profile to evaluate kidney, liver and bone abnormalities.
- • Vigorous washing of the bladder for examination of the cells (cytology, or PAP) and flow cytometry.
- • Flow cytometry—which can measure the number of chromosomes in tumor cells—can help evaluate the
- effectiveness of therapy and tumor aggressiveness more accurately.
- Cells having more chromosomes than the usual number of two are called nondiploid or aneuploid cells and
- have a worse prognosis . The disappearance of tumor cells after anticancer drugs are placed inside the bladder is
- associated with a prolonged complete response.
-