Risks of bladder cancer

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There are numerous reasons why some people get cancer and others do not despite leading similar lifestyles. In general, the is a lower risk of bladder cancer, and all cancers, in populations who eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, exercise regularly, avoiding excessive meat intake, dietary chemical, smoking, industrial chemicals and radiation. Nevertheless many people with this lifestyle may develop cancer, probably due to a vulnerability in their genetic makeup or even factors still unknown to medical scientists.

What causes cancer: Within each cell, in the human body, lies strips of  DNA containing millions of genes. Some of these genes cause cancer but are kept from mischief by other genes which lie next to them on the same strip of DNA. These good genes, called tumour suppresser genes, guard the body from the bad cancer genes. Essentially we were born with the tendency to get cancer. How well our good genes (tumour suppressor genes) lock our bad genes depends on our individual genetic makeup (the cards we were dealt). Certain factors in our environment can damage our DNA and split the suppressor genes from the cancer genes allowing cancer to develop. For bladder cancer these consist of:-

• Age – the older you are the greater the risk.
• Tobacco - cigarette, pipe and cigar smokers are two to three times more likely to become ill than nonsmokers.
• Workers in the rubber, chemical, and leather industries. Also hairdressers, machinists, metal workers, printers, painters, textile workers, and truck drivers.
• Infections - being infected with certain parasites found in tropical countries (schistosomiasis).
• Race -  white people get bladder cancer twice as often as African-Americans and Hispanics. The lowest rates are among Asians.
• Male - men are two to three times more likely than women to get this cancer.
• Family history - people with family members who have bladder cancer are more likely to get the disease.

Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your individual circumstances. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the cancer journey.