Get the facts
A new NHS campaign is urging people to get checked if they notice blood in their pee.
Blood in your urine can be a sign of cancer. But it’s easy for us to ignore.
The NHS initiative comes as a new survey found that nearly half of men thought blood in pee was not a symptom of cancer, while two-fifths surveyed said they would wait until they’ve noticed blood in their pee multiple times before seeing a GP.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England Clinical Director for Cancer, is here to explain the signs and symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer – both cancers where passing blood is a symptom.
1. How do you differentiate symptoms of bladder and kidney cancer from infections like UTIs?
It can be quite hard to tell the difference – symptoms of bladder cancer, such as blood in the urine and pain around the bladder, may happen with urinary tract infections, making it difficult to know which one you’re dealing with.
It’s important to seek advice from your GP for these symptoms regardless of the cause and, if the symptoms carry on even after antibiotic treatment, then you should contact your GP practice again.
2. What is the difference in symptoms between men and women?
Bladder cancer has quite similar symptoms in men and women, but it is much more common in men.
So, men, if you’re over the age of 50 with symptoms such as blood in your pee or difficulty urinating, you should contact your GP practice. It may be nothing ser
