Recent research has revealed disturbing information about patients who visit the emergency room for visible blood in their urine. Although this symptom is not always caused by a serious illness, experts warn that it can signal bladder or kidney cancer, especially if it appears along with other problems. , however, early and thorough examination could significantly reduce this risk.
- Visible blood in the urine may indicate bladder or kidney cancer.
- About one in four patients with this symptom are eventually diagnosed with cancer.
- Undetected hematuria increases the risk of death and prolongs hospitalization of patients.
- Patients should undergo a CT scan or cystoscopy immediately upon arrival at the emergency department.
These alarming findings come from the latest study, which was presented at the European Urology Congress 2026 in London. In it, scientists analyzed data from more than 8,500 patients from 380 hospitals around the world, revealing that blood in the urine can indicate the presence of cancer. “About one in four patients who come to the emergency department with visible blood in their urine (technically called hematuria) are diagnosed with cancer,” the research states.
Hematuria itself can manifest itself in different ways. Sometimes the blood is clearly visible, but very often it is present only in small amounts and is not visible at all with the naked eye. At such low concentrations, it can only be detected by a laboratory urine test, which is usually performed during preventive medical examinations. The main causes of blood in the urine are:
- urinary tract infections,
- kidney stones,
- tumors in the bladder or kidneys,
- harmless leakage of blood from the bladder area,
- inflammation of the kidneys.
Blood in the urine may indicate the presence of cancer. (illustrative photo)
Source:
iStock
Experts based on these results emphasized the importance of early examinations, which not only ensure much faster detection of cancer, but also significantly improve the chances of survival.
According to them, people should undergo a CT scan or cystoscopy within 48 hours of arriving at the emergency room. This is due to the finding that patients without immediate examination and appropriate treatment were 2.5 percent more likely to die compared to those who received care in time. In addition, the results indicated that up to one in ten people with visible blood in their urine will die within three months.
The authors of the study are currently working intensively to incorporate these findings into clinical guidelines to standardize healthcare across the board.. “It is a common problem that affects thousands of people, but it happens that it is not solved quickly enough, because it may not be connected to a specific disease at first glance. But the results show how important it is that doctors immediately take all the necessary steps to find out the exact cause of this problem,” stated urologist and study leader Nikita Bhatt.
