Deion Sanders is on a mission to spread awareness about bladder cancer.
During a press conference on Monday, Deion revealed he had his bladder removed in May.
Deion’s doctor confirmed he had his bladder removed and he is considered “cancer-free.”
The cancer was caught in the early stage. But even early-stage bladder cancer can return.
Coach Prime has removed his toes and had to learn how to walk and how to run again. Now he's removed his bladder and that is a major lifestyle change. He did this for his family but he did this for his team. A lot of people say they would die for you but that's just an… pic.twitter.com/tPLdI6NPGs
— NoSkoZone (@noskozone) July 28, 2025
Deion said he wanted to send a special message to people going through it: “Let’s stop being ashamed of it, and let’s deal with it, and let’s deal with it head-on.”
Signs and Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Blood in the urine (hematuria)
Lower back pain
Pain above the pubic bone
Frequent urination
Painful urination
Feeling of fullness in the bladder
Treatment
Bladder cancer treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and medication. Treatment options depend on the cancer’s stage, grade, and age of the patient.
A urostomy bag collects urine outside the body via a passage that is formed using a piece of the small intestine to create a stoma (hole) in the abdomen.
The urine flows through the stoma and into a bag which is attached to the abdomen with adhesive. The bag is emptied by turning a valve at the bottom.
A neobladder is a new bladder created out of a piece of small intestine that collects urine inside the body like a normal bladder.
The neobladder is connected to the urethra and the patient uses his muscles to pee as he normally would.
Complications include leakage and infections.
