If you notice any strange or mew symptoms in your body, it’s always best to see your GP. You never know whether a change in your body could indicate a bigger health problem, so it’s always safer to make sure.
And the NHS has warned of a peculiar symptom in the legs that could be an indicator of the 11th most common cancer in the UK- bladder cancer. If your legs are swollen or seem unusual in appearance, you should see a doctor, says the NHS.
It explains: “Bladder cancer is where a growth of abnormal tissue, known as a tumour, develops in the bladder lining.”
In some cases, the tumour spreads into the bladder muscle. They say the most common symptom is blood in your urine, which is usually painless.
Despite the symptom being painless, and even if it comes and goes, you need to see your GP if you have blood in your urine, reported Surrey Live.
What are the signs and symptoms of bladder cancer?
Blood in your urine is the most common symptom of bladder cancer. The medical name for this is haematuria.
Streaks of blood in your urine or blood turning your urine brown are both signs to look out for. The blood isn’t always noticeable and it may come and go – but you should still see a doctor.
Less common symptoms of bladder cancer include:
- a need to urinate on a more frequent basis
- sudden urges to urinate
- a burning sensation when passing urine
If bladder cancer reaches an advanced stage and has spread, symptoms can include:
- pelvic pain
- bone pain
- unintentional weight loss
- swelling of the legs
What types of bladder cancer are there?
Bladder cancer is categorised based on how far it had spread and where. If the cancerous cells remain within the bladder lining, it’s classified as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (early bladder cancer) – the most common type.
However, if the cancer extends beyond the lining into the surrounding bladder muscle, it is termed muscle-invasive bladder cancer (or invasive bladder cancer).
This less common cancer carries a higher risk of spreading to other areas of the body.
When bladder cancer spreads to distant parts of the body, it is referred to as advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.
When should I see my GP?
If you notice blood in your urine – even if it appears intermittently – you should see your GP.
But blood in the urine does not necessarily indicate bladder cancer, as there are several other, more common causes, including:
- a urinary tract infections (UTIs), such as cystitis
- a kidney infection
- kidney stones
- non-gonococcal urethritis
- an enlarged prostate gland in men