A pelvic exam is an important part of evaluating bladder cancer, and all women should have a proper pelvic exam during the initial visit. The pelvic exam helps to determine the stage of the tumor. Your doctor places one hand on your abdomen and the other into the vagina during the exam. This enables him or her to feel the bladder, and he or she can often determine whether the tumor has invaded through the wall of the bladder.
The pelvic exam also allows evaluation of the uterus and ovaries. Some cancers in the bladder are actually extensions of cervical cancer, uterine cancer, or ovarian cancer and would therefore be treated differently than transitional cell cancer. Most urologists will refer you to a gynecologist if there are any abnormalities found on the pelvic exam.