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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffIt's not clear what causes bladder cancer, but doctors have identified factors that may increase your risk of bladder cancer. Risk factors include:
- Increasing age. Your risk of bladder cancer increases as you age. Bladder cancer can occur at any age, but it's rarely found in people younger than 40.
- Being white. Whites have a greater risk of bladder cancer than do people of other races.
- Being a man. Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than women are.
- Smoking. Smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes may increase your risk of bladder cancer by causing harmful chemicals to accumulate in your urine. When you smoke, your body processes the chemicals in the smoke and excretes some of them in your urine. These harmful chemicals may damage the lining of your bladder, which can increase your risk of cancer.
- Exposure to certain chemicals. Your kidneys play a key role in filtering harmful chemicals from your bloodstream and moving them into your bladder. Because of this, it's thought that being around certain chemicals may increase your risk of bladder cancer. Chemicals linked to bladder cancer risk include arsenic and chemicals used in the manufacture of dyes, rubber, leather, textiles and paint products. Smokers who are exposed to toxic chemicals may have an even higher risk of bladder cancer.
- Previous cancer treatment. Treatment with the anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) increases your risk of bladder cancer. People who received radiation treatments aimed at the pelvis for a previous cancer may have an elevated risk of developing bladder cancer.
- Chronic bladder inflammation. Chronic or repeated urinary infections or inflammations (cystitis), such as may happen with long-term use of a urinary catheter, may increase your risk of a squamous cell bladder cancer. In some areas of the world, squamous cell carcinoma is linked to chronic bladder inflammation caused by the parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis.
- Personal or family history of cancer. If you've had bladder cancer, you're more likely to get it again. If one or more of your immediate relatives have a history of bladder cancer, you may have an increased risk of the disease, although it's rare for bladder cancer to run in families. A family history of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), also called Lynch syndrome, can increase your risk of cancer in your urinary system, as well as in your colon, uterus, ovaries and other organs.
References
- What you need to know about bladder cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/bladder/allpages. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Bladder cancer treatment (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/bladder/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Smith DC, et al. Carcinoma of the bladder. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1635.
- Bladder and other urothelial cancers screening (PDQ): Health professional version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/bladder/healthprofessional/allpages/print. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Bladder cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/bladder.pdf. Accessed Feb. 17, 2010.
- Guideline for the management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (stages Ta, T1 and Tis): 2007 update. Linthicum, Md.: American Urological Association. http://www.auanet.org/content/guidelines-and-quality-care/clinical-guidelines.cfm?sub=bc. Accessed Feb. 23, 2010.
- Messing EM. Urothelial tumors of the bladder. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/185270227-3/0/1445/0.html. Accessed Feb. 23, 2010.
- La Rochelle J, et al. Chemoprevention of bladder cancer. BJU International. 2008;102:1274.
- Boehrn K, et al. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD005004.
- Busby JE, et al. Chemoprevention for bladder cancer. The Journal of Urology. 2006;176:1914.
- Castle EP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. March 7, 2010.
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