Bladder Cancer Causes and Risk Factors (2024)

FAQs

What is the main cause of bladder cancer? ›

The most common risk factor for bladder cancer is cigarette smoking, although smoking cigars and pipes can also raise the risk of developing bladder cancer. Smokers are 4 to 7 times more likely to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers. Learn more about tobacco's link to cancer and how to quit smoking. Age.

Smoking. Smoking is the most important risk factor for bladder cancer. People who smoke are at least 3 times as likely to get bladder cancer as people who don't. Smoking causes about half of all bladder cancers.

For most people, the first symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, also called hematuria. Sometimes the blood is visible, prompting the patient to visit a doctor.

Age: Most people who get bladder cancer are older in age. The average age at diagnosis is 73, and 90 percent of patients are over age 55. Race: Bladder cancer is twice as common among Caucasians as African Americans. This disease is less common among Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans.

The 5-year relative survival rate of people with bladder cancer that has not spread beyond the inner layer of the bladder wall is 96%. Almost half of people are diagnosed with this stage. If the tumor is invasive but has not yet spread outside the bladder, the 5-year relative survival rate is 70%.

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer can often be cured. For muscle-invasive bladder cancer, prognosis also depends on whether carcinoma in situ is also present.

Blood in the urine is the most common symptom of bladder cancer. Around 80 out of 100 people with bladder cancer (around 80%) have some blood in their urine. Doctors call blood in the urine haematuria (pronounced heem-at-you-ree-ah). You may see the blood in your urine.

Can bladder cancer go undetected for years? If symptoms such as blood in the urine and changes in urinary habits are ignored by an individual and/or repeatedly misdiagnosed, it's possible that bladder cancer may not be detected for months or, in some cases, even years.

If the cancer is just on the inner lining of the bladder (stage 0 or carcinoma in situ), the 5-year survival rate is about 98%. If the cancer is growing just beyond the inner lining into the bladder wall, but is still just in the bladder (Stage I), the 5-year survival rate is about 88%.

These include: Blood in the urine, known as hematuria. Frequent urinary tract infections. Pain in flank, the section of the back between the ribs and the hip bone.

What does Stage 1 bladder cancer feel like? ›

The first sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, which is painless for most people. In the early stages, this may be your only symptom, though some people don't experience it. Other symptoms include changes in bladder habits, frequent urinary infections, and pelvic or back pain, which might be on one side.

Bladder Cancer is a heterogeneous disease; the main symptom is painless hematuria. However, patients with Bladder Cancer may initially be misdiagnosed as Cystitis or infection, and cystoscopy alone may sometimes be misdiagnosed as urolithiasis or Cystitis, thereby delaying medical attention.

Bladder cancer spreads at different speeds depending on the type of bladder cancer you have. Urothelial bladder cancer is slow to spread, while other types are much faster. Urothelial bladder cancer is the most common type of bladder cancer. It typically doesn't spread very quickly.

Where can bladder cancer spread to? Not all bladder cancers will spread. But If it does it's most likely to spread to the structures close to the bladder, such as the ureters, urethra, prostate, vagin*, or into the pelvis. This is called local spread.

Around 80 out of 100 people (around 80%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed. Stage 1 means that the cancer has started to grow into the connective tissue beneath the bladder lining.

Eating small meals throughout the day when you have an appetite is really important to make sure you avoid overeating when you get too hungry. Stay on top of your liquids and try to eat things at room temperature and avoid foods that are greasy, sugary and spicy when you are on a bladder cancer diet.