Epidemiology of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer incidence is higher in old men, shows geographic variation, and is mostly an environmental disease. Cigarette smoking, occupational exposures, water arsenic, Schistosoma haematobium infestation, and some medications are the best established risk factors. Low-penetrance genetic factors also contribute to its origin, some through interaction with environmental factors. Bladder cancer has high prevalence and a low mortality, being largely a chronic disease. Data on environmental and genetic factors involved in the disease outcome are inconclusive.

Key points

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Bladder cancer incidence increases with age, is higher in men, and is a major burden to the health systems because of the chronic nature of the most common non–muscle-invasive tumors.
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Cigarette smoking, occupational exposures, arsenic, Schistosoma haematobium infection, some medications, and genetic variation are the major risk factors associated with the disease.
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Further evidences are needed to establish the role of disinfection byproducts, fluid intake, urinary tract infections, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, viruses, and medications in bladder cancer.

References

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