(COLORADO) — On Monday, July 28, football coach at the University of Colorado, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, announced he was diagnosed and treated for bladder cancer. What is bladder cancer, the treatment, and what are the symptoms? The University of Colorado gave a rundown of the disease.

According to CU, at a routine checkup in the spring, doctors noticed something unusual in a CT scan–a mass on Sanders’ bladder. He was referred to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, where he met with Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urologic oncology at the CU Cancer Center and the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. After a thorough examination, Sanders was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his bladder.

It was the most common form of bladder cancer; the tumor hadn’t reached the muscle layer but was considered “very high risk” with a 50% chance of recurring or even progressing after treatments.

CU said treatment includes robotic surgery to remove the cancerous bladder, then creating a urinary diversion. There are three choices for urinary diversion.

A neobladder. A new bladder is created by stitching together a section of the small intestine called the ileum.

A urostomy. The surgeon routes a section of the ileum to an exit point near the belly button. Urine collects in an external bag.

An Indiana pouch, or continent cutaneous diversion. An internal pouch is created that is emptied by a catheter through a small opening in the skin.

According to CU, Sanders’ surgery took place in the late spring, and he has since fully recovered and is cancer-free.

CU shared statistics from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network:

Incidence of cases:

Bladder cancer is diagnosed in about 85,000 people and kills 18,000 people annually in the United States. 

Bladder cancer is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. It is the fourth most common cancer in men (about 63,000 new cases annually) and seventh in women.

Causes of bladder cancer

Smoking is associated with about 50% of bladder cancer cases.

Exposure to certain chemicals is linked to an increased risk, including chemicals found in printing materials, textiles, leather, rubber and certain paint products.

Age: The disease is more common in people over age 55, and the average age of a person diagnosed is 73.

Race: The reason is unclear, but Caucasians are twice as likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than African Americans or Hispanics. Asians have the lowest rate.

Bladder cancer warning signs

Blood in urine

Painful urination

Urgency to urinate, but no urinary tract infection

Frequent urination

Feeling the need but unable to urinate