Bladder cancer is an abnormal growth of bladder cells that grow together to form a mass called a tumor. Most bladder cancer starts from the inner lining of the bladder (the part that is exposed to the urine in the bladder). Bladder cancer often presents with painless blood in the urine, but can also cause painful urination. Risk factors for bladder cancer include: smoking, chemical exposure in the workplace, long standing urethral catheter, long standing or recurrent infection, or radiation therapy to the pelvis. The physicians at Athens Area Urology will use state-of-the-art diagnostic methods to evaluate and diagnose your bladder cancer. We will help create a bladder cancer treatment plan using modern surgical techniques and medical therapies.