Last updated: 11/24/2009

After a diagnosis of bladder cancer, up to 80% of patients with superficial tumors survive for at least five years. The five-year survival rate may be as high as 75% for patients whose tumors have invaded the bladder muscle. The five-year survival...

rates are 40% or less for patients with more-invasive tumors or metastatic tumors. The five-year survival rate refers to the percentage of patients who live at least five years after their cancer is found, although many people live much longer. Five-year relative survival rates do not take into account patients who die of other diseases. Every person's situation is unique and the statistics cannot predict exactly what will happen in every case; these numbers provide an overall picture.

Mortality rates are two to three times higher for men than women. Although the incidence of bladder cancer in the white population exceeds those of the black population, black women die from the disease at a greater rate. This is due to a larger proportion of these cancers being diagnosed and treated at an earlier stage in the white population. The mortality rates for Hispanic and Asian men and women are only about one-half those for whites and blacks. Over the past 30 years, the age-adjusted mortality rate has decreased in both races and genders. This may be due to earlier diagnosis, better therapy, or both.

Of the 57,400 cases of bladder cancer diagnosed each year in the United States, approximately 12,500 will die.