How long can you live with stage 4 bladder cancer without treatment

ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the number of people who are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors. Use the menu to see other pages.

This year, an estimated 81,180 adults (61,700 men and 19,480 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with bladder cancer. Smoking accounts for 47% of all these cases (see Risk Factors). Worldwide, an estimated 573,278 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2020.

After years of increasing, the number of bladder cancer cases in the United States steadily declined by about 1% per year from 2009 to 2018. Among men, bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer. Men are 4 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with the disease. In addition, incidence rates in White men are double those of Black men.

Bladder cancer mostly affects older people. About 90% of people with bladder cancer are older than 55. The average age people are diagnosed with bladder cancer is 73.

It is estimated that 17,100 deaths (12,120 men and 4,980 women) from this disease will occur in the United States this year. Worldwide, an estimated 212,536 people died from bladder cancer in 2020. Among men in the United States, bladder cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer death. However, the death rate for bladder cancer decreased by almost 2% from 2015 to 2019, after decades of no significant change.

The 5-year survival rate tells you what percent of people live at least 5 years after the cancer is found. Percent means how many out of 100. The general 5-year survival rate for people with bladder cancer is 77%.

However, survival rates depend on many factors, including the type and stage of bladder cancer that is diagnosed. The 5-year survival rate of people with bladder cancer that has not spread beyond the inner layer of the bladder wall is 96%. Almost half of people are diagnosed with this stage.

If the tumor is invasive but has not yet spread outside the bladder, the 5-year survival rate is 70%. About 33% of bladders cancers are diagnosed at this stage. If the cancer extends through the bladder to the surrounding tissue or has spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs, the 5-year survival rate is 38%. If the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 6%. About 4% of people are diagnosed with this stage.

It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with bladder cancer are an estimate. The estimate comes from annual data based on the number of people with this cancer in the United States. Also, experts measure the survival statistics every 5 years. This means the estimate may not reflect the results of advancements in how bladder cancer is diagnosed or treated from the last 5 years. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics.

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's (ACS) publication, Cancer Facts & Figures 2022; the ACS website; and the International Agency for Research on Cancer website. (All sources accessed January 2022.)

The next section in this guide is Medical Illustrations. It offers drawings of the bladder, including its layers of tissue. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

How long can you live with stage 4 bladder cancer without treatment

Stage 4 cancer usually has spread to multiple places in the body, meaning you can live only a few weeks or a few months.

In rare cases, some people may survive for several months or even a year with stage 4 cancer, with or without treatment. Some studies have found that attempting to aggressively treat cancer that has reached stage 4 can actually lead to a drop in the quality of the patient’s remaining life.

Stages of Cancer Explained

According to Cancer.net, medical researchers created five specific stages of cancer to describe the progression of the disease. Stage 4 is the most advanced and most serious cancer diagnosis.

  • Stage 0: a small cancerous tumor that is easy to remove and has little to no chance of spreading.
  • Stage 1: an early-stage cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes, resulting in a good chance of a cure.
  • Stage 2: often consists of large tumors that are affecting nearby tissues.
  • Stage 3: consists of large tumors that likely have spread into the lymph nodes.
  • Stage 4: advanced or metastatic cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, including other organs.

A doctor may initially diagnose cancer at any of these stages. Additionally, cancer initially diagnosed at an early stage could progress to an advanced stage if treatment options do not work.

Deciding on Treatment Options

Cancers that consist of solid tumors tend to have the best chance of responding favorably to the initial treatment.

However, should the tumor continue growing after the first treatment, the chances that future treatments stand little chance of causing the tumor to shrink are small, according to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation.

For a free legal consultation, call (800) 217-6099

Understanding Treatment

A recent national study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the majority of people who choose to undergo chemotherapy or other aggressive treatments for stage 4 cancer do not understand the limitations of this treatment.

In fact, for someone who likely only has weeks or months to live, aggressive treatments like chemotherapy may end up causing a significant reduction in quality of life over a period of a few weeks. This can cause the ill person to delay making end-of-life preparations or to delay entering hospice.

Understanding the Nature of Stage 4 Cancer

A person with stage 4 cancer may not feel ready to face the likelihood of death, which causes them to be willing to try any kind of treatment, even with a small chance of success, according to the study.

Sometimes, doctors do not speak in straightforward terms with patients about the limited chances of success in curing stage 4 cancer. Patients need to ask questions of doctors about the actual chances of recovery when facing stage 4 cancer. They also should ask about the benefits of hospice care, such as those outlined by the Mayo Clinic.

Click to contact our lawyers today

Choosing to End Treatment

Because of a minimal possibility of recovery from stage 4 cancer, some cancer sufferers choose not to undergo additional treatments, including chemotherapy.

The use of drugs and treatments may help alleviate some of the symptoms of stage 4 cancer, but they rarely work to cure the cancer at this advanced stage.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now

Options Beyond Traditional Treatment

If the cancer continues to spread throughout the body after a round of initial treatment, moving to an advanced stage, a doctor may suggest to the patient that additional treatments will not likely deliver the cure the patient wants.

At this point, a doctor may success an alternative to traditional cancer treatments, including:

  • A clinical trial: Researchers may provide experimental treatments for the cancer, all of which may present higher risks than traditional treatments.
  • Palliative care: Doctors may suggest stopping treatment and working to relieve the symptoms of the cancer for the remainder of life.
  • Entering hospice: This type of palliative care focuses on end-of-life preparation.

We Stand Ready to Work for You

If you have stage 4 lung cancer and another party exposed you to the toxins that led to your diagnosis of cancer, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your medical costs, pain, and suffering.

At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we know awards cannot truly compensate you for this situation, but you can use the lawsuit to hold the offending party responsible. Should you hire us, we can answer any questions you have regarding your legal case.

Contact us today at (800) 217-6099 for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so we do not receive payment until the case reaches a settlement.

Call or text (800) 217-6099 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form

What happens if you dont get treatment for bladder cancer?

If no other treatment is given, many people will later get a new bladder cancer, which often will be more advanced. This is more likely to happen if the first cancer is high-grade (fast-growing). Even if the cancer is found to be low grade (slow-growing), a second TURBT is often recommended several weeks later.

How long can you live with Stage 4 metastatic bladder cancer?

For a person with stage 4 bladder cancer, the 5-year relative survival rate is around 5 percent . This means that the person is 5 percent as likely as someone without cancer to live for a minimum of 5 years after diagnosis.

What is the life expectancy for someone with stage 4 bladder cancer?

The 5-year survival rate is the rate of surviving for 5 years after a cancer diagnosis. For bladder cancer, if the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 36.3 percent . If it has spread to a more distant site, the 5-year survival rate is 4.6 percent .

How long can bladder cancer go untreated?

Left untreated, most patients with MIBC suffer significant morbidity and die of the disease within 2 years of the diagnosis.