With over 70,000 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed each year, it is important to understand the risk factors for developing this disease. Some risk factors cannot be changed, while others can be eliminated completely. Knowing the risk factors for bladder cancer can help people make lifestyle changes that will reduce their chances of developing this condition.
Industrial Chemical Exposure
According to physicians from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, people who are exposed to industrial chemicals in the workplace are at risk for developing bladder cancer. People who work with textiles, rubbers, dye, paint and leather are at an increased risk because they are exposed to organic chemicals.
Smoking
The American Cancer Society cites smoking as the biggest risk factor for developing bladder cancer. Smoking causes 48 percent of the bladder cancer deaths in men and 28 percent of the bladder cancer deaths in women. People who smoke are twice as likely to develop cancer of the bladder as people who do not smoke. Smoking increases the chance of developing bladder cancer because the carcinogens in cigarettes are filtered by the kidneys. From the kidneys, the chemicals enter the bladder in the urine. The carcinogens then damage the lining of the bladder.
Age, Race and Gender
A person's age, race and gender can affect their likelihood of developing bladder cancer. According to physicians from the Mayo Clinic, bladder cancer is rare in someone who is under 40 years of age. Most cases are diagnosed in people who are 65 and older. The American Cancer Society indicates that white people have a greater risk of developing bladder cancer than Hispanics or African Americans. Gender also plays an important role in the development of bladder cancer. The disease occurs in men at a rate 4 times greater than that of women.
Genetics
Genetics play a role in whether someone will develop bladder cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, people who have family members with bladder cancer are at an increased risk of developing the disease. Inheritance of gene mutations can also increase the risk for bladder cancer. Mutations of the Rb1 and PTEN genes have been linked to the development of bladder cancer. People with a condition known as nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome also have an increased risk of developing cancer of the bladder.
Bladder Defects
Bladder birth defects have been linked with the development of cancer later in life. If the connection between the belly button and the bladder does not disappear before birth, the American Cancer Society indicates that it could become cancerous. Exstrophy is another bladder defect that increases the risk for developing bladder cancer. In this defect, the muscle and tissue in front of the bladder do not close. This leaves a hole in the wall of the abdomen, allowing chronic infection to occur. Chronic infections can lead to the development of adenocarcinomas.
Chronic Bladder Inflammation
Physicians from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center indicate that chronic bladder problems have been linked to an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. Chronic bladder infections and kidney stones can cause inflammation that damages the lining of the bladder. Chronic bladder irritation can also damage the cells that line the bladder, increasing the risk that bladder cancer will develop.
