Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer

Chemoradiation given after transurethral resection may sometimes be an option in people with bladder cancer that has grown into the muscle layer of the organ wall but has not spread elsewhere. People who are candidates usually have only one tumor that is not blocking the kidneys, the two organs located above the bladder that filter blood and produce urine. Candidates should also have good overall bladder function.

Doctors may also recommend chemoradiation for people who cannot have radical cystectomy because they are in poor health and can’t tolerate surgery.

Given alone, radiation therapy may help relieve cancer-related symptoms, such as pain and bleeding.

Our radiation oncologists use CT scans of the bladder cancer tumor and surrounding tissue and organs, in conjunction with computer software, to develop a customized radiation treatment plan. The software creates a three-dimensional image of the tumor and surrounding organs and enables doctors to determine how best to target the bladder cancer while sparing healthy tissue.

During your treatments, our doctors may use frequent CT scans to ensure that radiation therapy targets the tumor and avoids healthy tissue. This approach, called image-guided radiation therapy, helps compensate for the natural movement of organs caused by breathing during treatment. The technique also enables doctors to track the size and shape of the tumor throughout treatment.

To manage bladder cancer, doctors at Perlmutter Cancer Center may use external beam radiation therapy, which is delivered by a machine called a linear accelerator. The machine rotates around you during therapy, helping target the bladder cancer.

Treatment is usually given once a day, five days a week, for several weeks. Breaking the radiation into small doses, called fractions, helps doctors deliver enough radiation to treat the tumor while sparing healthy tissue and reducing the risk of side effects.

Doctors use different types of radiation therapy to treat bladder cancer. You and your doctors discuss which option is best for you.

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is the most targeted form of radiation therapy and is typically used for bladder cancer. Radiation is delivered from different directions, but doctors break up the doses into many small, computer-controlled beams of different, adjustable strengths. Together, these minibeams conform to the size and shape of the tumor.

Our doctors carefully plan radiation therapy to minimize side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and bladder irritation. Our support and integrative health services can also help manage side effects.