BOULDER, Colo. — When Deion Sanders announced he underwent treatment for bladder cancer Monday, he had one message for the community: “Get yourself checked out.”
Sanders, head football coach for the CU Buffs, said during a news conference his doctors uncovered the disease in a CT scan when he went for an annual check-up for vascular issues. His doctor recommended he see a urologist, who ultimately found a tumor.
“We removed the tumor. It was very high-grade, invading through the bladder wall not, into the muscle layer — something we call very high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer,” Dr. Janet Kukreja, the director of Urologic Oncology at the CU Cancer Center at CU Anschutz said.
- Denver7 was there when Sanders made the announcement alongside doctors. You can watch the news conference by clicking the story below:
College Sports
Deion Sanders had bladder cancer, is now cancer-free following surgery
Dr. Kukreja said she discussed options with Coach Prime and he decided to go with robotic surgery to remove his bladder. Surgeons then created a new bladder. The treatment was a success and Sanders is cancer-free.
“We are helping folks today,” Sanders said. “There’s some folks out there right now scheduling check-ups, there are some wives saying, 'Baby, I told you because if it could happen to Prime, it could happen to you.”
Dr. Kukreja said the most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine.
“It is really tricky because there is not a lot a primary care doctor can do if everything is normal. There are no tests or anything like that,” Dr. Kukreja said. “If you see blood in your urine, let your primary care doctor know and if you don’t have an infection, you need to get yourself to a urologist.”
Smoking is the biggest risk factor that leads to bladder cancer. Other people at high-risk are those whose work exposes them to chemicals, people born with a bladder defect or those using a urinary catheter for a long time.
Bladder cancer is more common in men than women. In 2025, the American Cancer Society’s estimates that in the U.S., there were 84,870 new cases and 17,420 deaths related to bladder cancer.
The American Cancer Society notes bladder cancer death rates have been stable for decades and they decreased 1% per year since 2013 because of early detection through increased awareness and better treatments.
Dr. Kukreja said treatment depends on how aggressive the bladder cancer is. It’s common to remove the bladder using robotic surgery because there is less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay and a quicker recovery. Radiation or chemotherapy could also be recommended.
With time, she said, it is possible to fully recover.
“There is no shame in bladder cancer. It is a very serious disease and really, taking it seriously and sharing with peers and getting the support that you need for it, making sure you are seeing the right people, is incredibly important,” Dr. Kukreja said.
