If your urine turns
red, pink, orange, or brown,
get checked to rule out bladder cancer.

LOOK OUT
FOR BLOOD
IN YOUR URINE

This is the most common sign of bladder cancer, also known as hematuria.1 There are two types of hematuria.2

The first one is called gross hematuria and it means you can see the blood with your naked eye. Your urine may appear red, orange, pink or brown.1,2 Blood may appear one day but then not reappear until days, weeks or months afterwards.1

The second is called microscopic hematuria.2 This means that the color of the urine is normal but small amounts of blood are found under a microscope.2 This is usually when a urine test (urinalysis) is done because of other symptoms or as part of a general medical check-up.1

Blood in urine (hematuria) is not bladder cancer in the majority of cases, but it’s important to see your doctor to rule it out.2

RISK FACTORS

Smoking

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of bladder cancer.3 In fact, bladder cancer is the only type of cancer that gets smaller if you stop smoking.3

Increasing age

The risk of bladder cancer increases as you get older.4 Most bladder cancer diagnoses are in people older than 55.4

Being male

Men are 4 times more likely to develop bladder cancer than women.4

Exposure
to some chemicals

It’s thought that being around certain chemicals may increase the chance of bladder cancer.3 Chemicals connected to bladder cancer risk include arsenic and chemicals used in the manufacture of dyes, rubber, leather, textiles and paint products.4

Personal or family history of cancer

If you’ve had bladder cancer before,3 or if one of your blood relatives — a parent, sibling or child — has a history of bladder cancer, you may have an increased risk of the disease, although it’s rare for bladder cancer to run in families.4

FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT BLADDER
CANCER

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a replacement for your doctor’s advice. Blood in the urine doesn’t always mean you have bladder cancer, more often it’s caused by other things like an infection.1

Through this website, you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Merck, EMD Serono. We have no control over the nature, content, and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

References

  1. American Cancer Society. Bladder Cancer Signs and Symptoms [Last Revised January 30, 2019].
    Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/bladder-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html Accessed March 2024.
  2. UpToDate. Patient education: Blood in the urine (hematuria) in adults (Beyond the Basics).
    Available at: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/blood-in-the-urine-hematuria-in-adults-beyond-the-basics/print Accessed March 2024.
  3. Fight Bladder Cancer. What is bladder cancer?
    Available at: https://fightbladdercancer.co.uk/get-help/what-bladder-cancer Accessed March 2024.
  4. Bladder Cancer. Mayo Clinic.
    Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bladder-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20356104 Accessed March 2024.