Sign: something physical that can be observed; i.e. fever

Symptom: what the patient experiences; i.e. pain

For most people, the first symptom of bladder cancer is hematuria, blood in the urine.

Hematuria is either gross (visible) or microscopic.

• Gross/Visible: can be seen with the naked eye
• Microscopic : blood is only visible if a sample is examined under a microscope

Irritative urination symptoms are also associated with bladder cancer such as:

• Pain
• Burning
• Frequency of urination
• Incomplete emptying of the bladder
• passage of tissue fragments in urine is another symptom though not as frequent

The presence of one or all of these signs does not mean you have cancer, but means more that you should be seen by a physician as these are abnormal bodily functions. Sometimes those diagnosed with bladder cancer did not experience any bleeding or pain, thus emphasizing the importance of routine screening and physicals.