Even the tiniest amount of blood in your pee can be an early indication that something is wrong – that is the message from clinical staff at St Mary’s Hospital in support of the national ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign which encourages the public to see their GP as soon as possible if they notice blood in their urine.
On the Island around 300 urological cancers are diagnosed every year. The ‘Blood in Pee’ campaign is part of the wider ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign to raise awareness that this can be an early symptom of bladder or kidney cancer. As with most cancers, the earlier you act, the better your survival chances are if cancer is diagnosed.
Dr David Isaac, Island Macmillan GP Cancer Lead, said:
“Blood in pee is often due to infection but can sometimes be an early sign that something more serious is going on, so if you do get any blood in your pee don’t ignore it but make an appointment with your doctor to get it checked out.”
David, 79, from Cowes, noticed blood in his urine and knew he had to get himself checked. Talking about his experience, David said:
“I didn’t feel ill or anything but I felt like I needed to go to the toilet but when I did I passed quite a lot of blood. I was very nervous about it and felt it wasn’t what should be happening and that I ought to get help as soon as possible.”
David went to his GP who referred him for a Cystoscopy which is a specialist procedure to examine the inside of the bladder. David was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. He received treatment at St Mary’s Hospital to remove the cancer and then underwent 5 weeks of chemotherapy and has been clear of cancer ever since. He now has his urine checked every six months and continues to be cancer free.
Speaking about his experience of the treatment he received, David said:
“…the treatment involved some discomfort but not pain. If it’s dealt with quickly you stand a good chance of it going away. The team at the hospital were extremely good, it was done quickly and efficiently and the doctors and nurses were thorough.”
Blood in your pee is the most common symptom of both bladder and kidney cancer. Other kidney cancer symptoms include: a pain below the ribs that doesn’t go away and a lump in your stomach. Other bladder cancer symptoms include needing to pee very often or very suddenly or pain while peeing.
Anne Snow, Lead Cancer Nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital, said:
“You’re not wasting anyone’s time by getting symptoms checked out and it really isn’t something to be embarrassed about.
“And it doesn’t always mean cancer, it could be a symptom of a less serious condition that still requires treatment, but it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible to find out for sure. They will examine you and, if they think your symptoms need further assessment, refer you to a specialist urologist, as they did with David. It can make a real difference to a patient’s outcome if cancer is diagnosed early.”
St Mary’s Hospital Urology Team work closely with Portsmouth Hospitals in undertaking specialist investigations, treatments and surgery that is necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder and kidney cancer.
For more information see www.nhs.uk/bloodinpee or go to www.fightbladdercancer.co.uk
