Introduction to urinary bladder pathology

Bladder diseases are very common clinically and pathologically. Among them, bladder cancer is a major public health concern, particularly in men, with both high incidence and high mortality. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in adult males, surpassed only by prostate, lung, and colon cancers, and the eighth most common cause of death in males in the United States. Understanding normal bladder histology, benign abnormalities, cancer prevalence, and carcinogenesis is important for bladder disease diagnosis as well as for the effective management of bladder diseases. This chapter will explore bladder cancer incidence, carcinogenesis, and clinical management to provide a brief pathologic point of view and guide the reader for further interest of the subsequent chapters.