Research undertaken by the National Cancer Institute determined that smoking is the primary cause of bladder cancer, and it estimated that there were. 70,530 new cases for 2010 in the United States. Also, 14,680 patients died from the disease. Most cases of bladder cancer start in the cells that form the inner lining of the bladder.
Extent
All regular smokers are at risk for developing bladder cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. It reports that, as of 2007, nearly 20 percent of U.S.adults smoked cigarettes. In addition, 23 percent of high school age students smoke, while 8 percent of junior high or middle school children smoke cigarettes.
Development
Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 different--and mostly harmful--chemicals, according to Smoke Free Reality. These chemicals pass from the lungs of a smoker and into the blood stream. The bladder plays an important role in removing harmful substances from a smoker's body. Over time, the chemicals contained in cigarette smoke irritate, inflame and damage the inner lining of the bladder, resulting in the development of cancerous cells in some individuals, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Misconceptions
A recurring misconception associated with the harmful effects of smoking is that only the lungs and heart are at risk. The reality is that smoking is demonstrated to be a primary cause of cancer in nearly all organs, according to Drugs.com.
Prevention
The only sure way of preventing bladder cancer as the result of smoking is to avoid cigarettes in the first place. Stopping smoking--sooner rather than later---usually results in a reversal of the bladder lining irritation and decreases the chances that a smoker will develop bladder cancer at a later date.
Warning
Although bladder cancer tends to be something that occurs after a person smokes for an extended time, other health-related factors may speed up the process by which a person ends up facing a bladder cancer diagnosis. For example, consuming larger quantities of alcoholic beverages can result in damage to the inner lining of the bladder. The damage from alcohol, combined with that from smoking, accelerates the rate at which cancer may develop.
