Invisible Blood in Urine might Indicate Bladder Cancer

Blood in urine might be an early warning of bladder cancer, a new study suggests.

University of Exeter researchers say that invisible blood in urine must be thoroughly investigated as it can be a sign of bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer is the type of cancer that occurs in the tissues of the bladder (the organ that holds urine). This year, an estimated 74,690 people will be diagnosed with the cancer and over 15,000 will die from it.

The medical term for blood in urine is Hematuria. When blood is visible to the naked eye, it is referred to as gross hematuria and invisible blood is called microhematuria.

Data for the study came from 26,000 people whose anonymised data contributed to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. The researchers said that bladder risk was 1.6 percent in people, above the age of 60, with microhematuria.

"It is well known that if you see blood in your urine you should contact your GP, who is likely to refer you for tests. But there is no clear guidance for GPs on what to do if they detect blood that is not visible during routine tests," said Sarah Price, a PhD student at the University of Exeter Medical School.

The latest study shows that it is important to pay attention to these invisible blood cells in urine.

"We are hopeful that our findings will now lead to robust guidance that it warrants further investigation. Early diagnosis is crucial to have the best chance of successfully treating bladder cancer. The three-quarters of patients who are diagnosed early have much better outcomes than those whose disease is diagnosed late. Anything we can do to boost early detection is crucial to help save lives," Price said in a news release.

The study is published in the journal British Journal of General Practice.