Bladder cancer is a common type of cancer that begins in the cells of the bladder, a hollow muscular organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. Bladder cancer signs and symptoms can include blood in the urine, frequent or painful urination, and back pain.

"The vast majority of bladder cancer patients are diagnosed with cancer that's not imminently life-threatening, but they tend to be aggressive," says Dr. Mark Tyson II, a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon. "So bladder cancers, even if they're not life-threatening when they're first diagnosed, tend to recur."

For this reason, people with bladder cancer typically need follow-up tests for years after treatment to look for recurrence of their cancer.

May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. On this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tyson discusses bladder cancer diagnosis, staging and treatment.