Bladder cancer and blood in urine

Blood may make urine look pink, red, tea-coloured, or brown. It may appear without pain and may disappear between episodes. A clinician should assess it even when the urine returns to its usual colour.

Bleeding can arise anywhere along the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate, or urethra. Infection, stones, inflammation, injury, certain medicines, and urinary cancers are among the possible explanations. The colour and amount do not reliably identify the cause.

Bladder cancer may shed blood as a tumour irritates or disrupts the bladder lining. Some people also develop urgency, frequent urination, burning, or difficulty passing urine. These accompanying symptoms help guide assessment but cannot confirm the diagnosis.

Arrange medical assessment after any episode of visible blood in urine. Tell the clinician whether there were clots, pain, fever, recent injury, urinary difficulty, or bleeding elsewhere. Provide a complete medicine list, including anticoagulants; these medicines can worsen bleeding but do not explain away the need to find its source.

Evaluation may include a urine sample, blood tests, imaging, and cystoscopy to inspect the bladder lining. If an abnormal area is found, tissue can be removed or sampled so a pathologist can determine whether cancer is present.

Go for urgent care if you cannot pass urine, clots obstruct the flow, bleeding is heavy, or you feel faint, confused, or severely weak. Fever with shaking chills, pain in the side or back, vomiting, or worsening illness also calls for prompt assessment because infection or urinary blockage may need immediate treatment.

You might ask: Where could the bleeding be coming from? Do I need imaging or cystoscopy? Should I continue my current medicines while being assessed? If no cause appears on the first tests, what follow-up is needed? Which new symptoms should send me to urgent care?