What causes bladder cancer?
No one knows the exact causes of bladder cancer, but research continues to find answers and eventually a cure.

Many studies have found the following risk factors for bladder cancer:

Age. The chance of getting bladder cancer increases with age–bladder cancer mostly affects people in their 60s and 70s. People under 40 rarely get this disease, but it does happen occassionally.

Cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is directly responsible for most cases of bladder cancer. Smoking causes about half of all bladder cancer deaths in men and about one-third of the bladder cancer deaths in women.

Working in certain industries. Some workers have a higher risk of getting bladder cancer because of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in the workplace. Workers in the rubber, dye, chemical, and leather industries are at increased risk, as are hairdressers, machinists, metal workers, printers, painters, textile workers, and truck drivers.

Race. Whites get bladder cancer twice as often as African-Americans and Hispanics. The lowest rates are among Asians.

Gender. Men are three times more likely than women to develop bladder cancer. However, women are more likely to die from the disease because they are sometimes not diagnosed in the early stage.

Family history. People with family members who have bladder cancer are more likely to get the disease. Researchers are studying changes in certain genes that may increase the risk of bladder cancer.

Patient Education: Bladder Cancer