Bladder cancer affects around 10,500 people yearly in the UK, with nearly half of cases considered preventable. Survivors have highlighted one “most common” early symptom: **blood in the urine**.

Dr. Arthur Hamberger shared that he noticed “the slightest shade of pink” in his urine. Though it happened only once, he sought medical help immediately. Tests revealed a large bladder tumour and a mass in his pancreas. Thanks to early detection, both were treated. “If it were not for that little bit of blood… they would have never found the tumour,” he said.

Similarly, Margo Wickersham, 57, noticed pink urine over two mornings. Her doctor initially suggested monitoring, but she pushed for further testing. A cystoscopy revealed aggressive stage 1 bladder cancer. “You can’t always go by how you feel,” she said. “If your urine has blood in it, that’s a red flag. See a doctor.”

Other bladder cancer symptoms include:

* Pain or burning when urinating
* Frequent or sudden urges to pee
* Recurring urinary infections
* Unexplained weight loss
* Tiredness, back or lower tummy pain, and bone aches

Early symptoms can be subtle, so any unusual changes—especially blood in urine—should not be ignored.