Seeing blood in your urine is an alarming prospect—especially as it’s one of the main symptoms of bladder cancer. But while it usually signifies a health issue, blood in your urine doesn’t always spell cancer.
“Aside from cancer, two of the most common reasons for blood in the urine are kidney stones and a urinary tract infection (UTI),” says Johar Raza, M.D., a urologic oncologist at Henry Ford Health.
Additional symptoms of kidney stones include:
Meet With A Urologist
- Burning while urinating
- Increased urination
- Back pain
- Loss of appetite/nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue, weakness, fever and chills—if the kidney stone has become infected
Additional symptoms of a UTI include:
- Burning while urinating
- A strong sensation you have to urinate, but when you try, you don’t have a lot of volume
- Fever and chills
Signs Of Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer, on the other hand, may not come with a whole host of symptoms. “A key sign of bladder cancer is bright red blood in the urine—especially if it’s not accompanied by pain or discomfort during urination,” says Dr. Raza. “That is a cardinal sign it’s something more sinister. Patients will tell me, ‘I had blood in my urine once a few years ago, but it went away and I experienced no pain. Well, this is a sign you should see your primary care doctor or urologist.”
That said, some people who have bladder cancer can experience increased urination and be continually misdiagnosed with persistent UTIs. “Women are more likely to get UTIs and that’s part of the reason why their bladder cancer symptoms often aren’t addressed,” says Dr. Raza. “Men are more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than women, but women are more likely to present with aggressive bladder cancer than men.”
Risk Factors For Bladder Cancer
Other factors to consider: “If you’re a smoker or have a history of smoking and you see blood in your urine, that’s a red flag and you need to see a doctor,” says Dr. Raza. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking causes about half of all bladder cancer cases. Some studies show that smoking increases your risk of bladder cancer by 400%.
Exposure to chemicals from factories and hair salons—and a family history of bladder cancer—also increase your risk for bladder cancer. Age is also a factor: 73 is the median age of bladder cancer diagnosis.
“When in doubt, talk to your doctor about your symptoms—the earlier bladder cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat,” says Dr. Raza.
What About Microscopic Blood In The Urine?
Microscopic blood in the urine can’t be seen by the naked eye but it can be detected with a urine analysis. If you have microscopic blood in your urine, it could be due to factors such as:
- Your menstrual cycle (if your urine sample was taken during menstruation, it could cause blood to contaminate the sample and you may have to redo the urine sample)
- An exercise regimen
- Certain medications
- A urine infection
- Kidneys stones
- A fever
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cancer
“People who have microscopic blood in their urine should have an examination of their urinary tract,” says Dr. Raza. “There is a 3% chance they could have early cancers. On the flip side, with about 40% of patients, you can’t find obvious causes for microscopic blood in the urine.
“If we don’t find a cause, we’ll reevaluate you in five to seven years if you’re still having blood in your urine—especially if you are a smoker or have a family history of bladder cancer.”
Reviewed by Johar Raza, M.D., a urologic oncologist at Henry Ford Health who sees patients at Henry Ford Cancer—Detroit, Henry Ford Hospital, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Henry Ford Medical Center—Fairlane.
