The short answer
Almost all bladder cancers are urothelial carcinomas, also called transitional cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma are much rarer.
Almost all bladder cancers are urothelial (transitional cell) carcinomas.
Squamous cell carcinoma begins in squamous cells.
Adenocarcinoma begins in glandular cells.
Small cell carcinoma begins in neuroendocrine cells and is rare.
On this page
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The whole article, with every detail and caution.
This page is for anyone who wants to understand the different types of bladder cancer. It explains the common type, the rarer types, and why the type matters for treatment.
The simple version
Most bladder cancer is one type. A small share are rarer types.
The common type
Urothelial carcinoma is also called transitional cell carcinoma. The National Cancer Institute says almost all bladder cancers are urothelial carcinomas. It starts in urothelial cells, which line the inside of the bladder.
Rarer types
- Squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer that begins in squamous cells.
- Adenocarcinoma. Cancer that begins in glandular cells, not urothelial cells.
- Small cell carcinoma. Cancer that begins in neuroendocrine cells.
These types are much less common than urothelial carcinoma.
Why type matters for treatment
Your care team looks at your specific type, along with other findings, when choosing treatment. Confirming the exact type through pathology review matters. Ask your team how your type affects your options.
What to ask your team
- What type of bladder cancer do I have?
- How confident is the pathology report in that type?
- Does my specific type change which treatments are options for me?
- How was the type confirmed, and is more testing planned?
Sources
Common questions
What is the most common type of bladder cancer?
Urothelial carcinoma, also called transitional cell carcinoma, is by far the most common type. It starts in the urothelial cells that line the inside of the bladder.
What is squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder?
It is a less common type of bladder cancer. It begins in squamous cells.
Is adenocarcinoma of the bladder common?
No, it is rare. It begins in glandular cells rather than the urothelial cells that line most of the bladder.
Does the type of bladder cancer change my treatment?
It can. Your care team chooses treatment based on your specific type and other findings. Ask what applies to you.
Questions to ask your doctor
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Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Last updated: 2026-10-16Next planned review: 2027-08-03
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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