At a Branson Missouri concert, singer Andy Williams spoke to his fans about his cancer.
“You may have read or heard that I have bladder cancer. It’s true and I’m currently undergoing treatment to deal with it,” Williams said in a statement.”
Williams, who is 83, plans on returning to performing in 2012.
“But that is no longer a death sentence. People with cancer are getting through this thing,” Williams said, according to Tyler Francke with the Branson Tri-Lakes News.
“They’re kicking it, and they’re winning more and more every year. And I’m going to be one of them,” Francke quoted the singer as saying.
As a child in a quartet, Williams and his three older brothers began their singing career. Later he became a regular gig on Steve Allen’s “Tonight” show, which later turned into his own variety program called “The Andy Williams Show.”
What is Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a cancer that originates in the bladder, usually starting in the cells lining the bladder wall (called transitional cells). While the exact cause of bladder cancer is uncertain, it is believed that several thing are more likely to cause it to develop:
- Smoking: Smoking greatly increases the risk of developing bladder and other types of cancer.
- Chemical Exposure: Chemicals, also known as carcinogens increase your risk of developing this form of cancer. chemicals used by dye workers, rubber workers, aluminum workers, leather workers, truck drivers, and pesticide workers are considered to be high risk environments.
- Chemotherapy: Oddly enough, a chemotherapy drug known as Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) may increase your risk of bladder cancer.
- Radiation Treatment: A form of radiation treatment given to women who have cervical cancer can increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.
- Bladder Infections: Long-term (chronic) bladder infections or irritations can sometimes lead to a certain type of bladder cancer.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
- Pain in the abdominal area
- Blood in the urine
- Tenderness or bone pain
- Fatigue
- Painful urination
- Frequent and/or urgent urination
- Urine leakage (incontinence)
- Unexplained weight loss
Bladder Cancer Tests
There are a number of tests that can be performed to identify bladder cancer. Here are a few of the tests:
- Abdominal CT scans
- Bladder biopsy
- Cystoscopy
- Pelvic CT scan
- Urinalysis
- Urine cytology
Stages of Bladder Cancer
- Stage 0: Noninvasive tumors, only in the bladder lining
- Stage 1: Tumors have extended through the bladder lining but not the muscle layer of the bladder
- Stage 2: Tumors extend through the bladder lining and the muscle layer
- Stage 3: Tumors extend beyond the lining, muscle, and the tissue surrounding the bladder
- Stage 4: Tumors extend beyond the bladder into neighboring lymph nodes or distant sites (metastatic disease)
Back to DCA Cancer.
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