Does Smoking Cause Bladder Cancer?

Smoking is the most significant risk factor for developing bladder cancer. More than one-third of bladder cancer cases are caused by smoking. Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world, and in the United States, bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men and the ninth most common in women.

Continue reading to learn why smoking can cause bladder cancer.

Smoking is associated with the development and progression of bladder cancer. The number of cigarettes a person smokes, alongside how long they’ve been smoking significantly increases the risk of bladder cancer.

After being diagnosed with bladder cancer, patients who continue to smoke cigarettes have a higher mortality rate than those who quit smoking.

Aside from smoking, other factors can contribute to developing bladder cancer.

These additional risk factors for bladder cancer can include:

• Older age

• Being male

• Exposure to harmful chemicals

• Chronic bladder inflammation (e.g., frequent urinary tract infections)

• Previous cancer treatment

• Previous history of cancer

• Family history of cancer

The carcinogenic chemicals within cigarette tobacco can cause bladder cancer. After inhaling cigarette smoke, the carcinogens can travel throughout your body’s filtration system. “These (carcinogens) make their way into the bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine,” said Olalekan Otulana, GP, an addiction specialist physician at Addiction Advocates. As the urine sits in your bladder for hours at a time, it gets exposed to high concentrations of carcinogens from cigarette smoke.

Secondhand smoke is when you breathe in smoke breathed out by someone who smokes or from inhaling burning tobacco products. One study suggests that secondhand smoke can increase the risk of bladder cancer. In a meta-analysis review of 14 studies, researchers discovered a 22% increased risk of bladder cancer for long-term secondhand exposure in nonsmoking patients than in unexposed nonsmoking patients.

More research is necessary to understand the relationship between secondhand smoke and bladder cancer. “So while it is seemingly looking like there could be a link between secondhand smoke and bladder cancer, there does need to be further research into the subject overall for more conclusive evidence,” Dr. Otulana said.

Due to smoking being a voluntary behavior that can be stopped, there’s potential for smokers to quit their habits to reduce their chances of developing bladder cancer and other smoking-related health problems.

To stop smoking and subsequently reduce your risk of bladder risk, use the following tips:

• Speak with your doctor

• Seek individual or group counseling

• Adopt a new hobby or interest

• Ask a loved one for help

• Engage in physical activity

• Take prescribed medications to help with nicotine withdrawals

• Read materials on quitting smoking

“Quitting nicotine is incredibly difficult, but there is not one solution. In fact, a combination of counseling and medication is a popular route,” Dr. Otulana noted.

Smoking is the most significant risk factor for developing bladder cancer. This is because the carcinogens within tobacco products are filtered through the kidneys, which are then absorbed in the bladder. Secondhand smoke may be another risk factor for bladder cancer, but future research is needed. To lower your risk of getting bladder cancer, it’s recommended that you quit smoking.