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Risk factors are things that raise your chances of getting a disease. There are different types of risk factors such as genetic, biological, lifestyle and exposure. For each person, a mix of these risk factors play a part in bladder cancer risk.
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Talk to your primary care provider if you have symptoms that you think may be bladder cancer. UW Medicine Primary Care can help you get started. Learn about Fred Hutch's relationship with UW Medicine.
Genetic and Biological Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
In the United States, bladder cancer occurs more often in men than in women, and more often in white than in Black individuals. Bladder cancer can be diagnosed at any age, but the risk increases significantly as a person gets older, with a median age of diagnosis at 73 years. Additional genetic and biological risk factors include:
- A family history of bladder cancer
- Genetic changes linked to bladder cancer, such as mutations in the HRAS, RB1, PTEN/MMAC1, NAT2 and GSTM1 genes
- Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that increases the risk of several types of cancer
Lifestyle and Exposure Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer
Risk factors for bladder cancer include:
- Using tobacco, especially smoking cigarettes, is a major risk factor for bladder cancer
- Workplace exposure to paints, dyes, metals or petroleum products
- Exposure to PFAS, long-lasting chemicals used in many industrial and consumer products
- Past treatment with radiation therapy to the pelvis or with certain anticancer drugs, such as cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide
- Use of the herb Aristolochia fangchi
- Drinking well water with high levels of arsenic
- Drinking water treated with chlorine
- A bladder infection caused by the parasite Schistosoma haematobium, common in Africa and the Middle East but rare in the United States
- Long-term use of urinary catheters, which can cause chronic bladder injury or irritation
Having one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily mean you will get bladder cancer. Many people with risk factors never develop bladder cancer, while others with no known risk factors do.
Ways to Prevent Bladder Cancer
The exact cause of bladder cancer is not known. But studies show that certain factors are linked to increased risk. Some of these risk factors are things you can’t change, such as getting older or having a family history of bladder cancer. Other factors relate to your lifestyle, so you may be able to change them. For example, using tobacco — especially smoking cigarettes — raises bladder cancer risk.
Research has shown an increased risk of bladder cancer for people who have been known to take the herb Aristolochia fangchi. If you have any signs or symptoms that you worry might be from bladder cancer, talk with your primary care provider. Usually, these symptoms are caused by something else, like an infection. Whatever the cause, it’s important to find out so you can get treatment to help. If it is cancer, finding it earlier may mean it’s easier to treat.
Genetic testing may show if you have certain gene changes (mutations) that can be passed down in families that increase the risk of bladder cancer. Tests usually involve taking a small sample of blood.
If you have a family history of bladder cancer, ask your health care team if it’s a good idea to get tested. Your team will take into account your personal health history and your family health history before making a recommendation. If tests are recommended, you may want to speak with a genetic counselor first. They can help explain what the tests do or don’t show and what the results might mean for you.
The Clinical Genetics and Genetic Counseling Service at Fred Hutch assesses cancer risk for people who are at high risk because of their personal or family history.