Symptoms of bladder cancer

The most common symptoms of bladder cancer are:

Blood in the urine (haematuria)  This is the most common symptom. It usually happens suddenly and may come and go. It’s not usually painful. Sometimes the blood in your urine can’t be seen and is picked up by a urine test.

If you ever see blood in your urine you should always go to your family doctor (GP) and get it checked out.

Bladder changes  Some people may have a burning feeling when they pass urine, or need to pass urine more often or urgently. These are all symptoms of bladder irritation and are more likely to be due to an infection rather than cancer. If these symptoms don’t get better with antibiotics, you might need more tests.

Most people with these symptoms won’t have bladder cancer. Other more common conditions such as infection or stones in the bladder or kidneys are often the cause. But, if you develop any of these symptoms it’s important to get them checked by your doctor.