Oncologists are making great strides in the fight against cancers, but a new report paints a disappointing picture in the fight against bladder cancer. Despite efforts, the risk of bladder cancer is rising in certain industries, where carcinogens are inhaled, ingested or come in frequent contact with skin.
The study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers from the University of Sheffield in England, uncovered an increased risk in 42 different occupations including hairdressers, print shop workers and people who work in the rubber and plastics industries. The study consolidated 263 different studies worldwide, encompassing data from more than 31 million people.
The greatest risk increase came in workers who deal with chemicals known as aromatic amines, which are common byproducts in the plastics and chemical industries. They’re found in everything from polyurethane foams, dyes and pesticides, to pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.
Other professions which have common exposure to heavy metals, diesel and combustion products also showed greater risk, the study found.
Hairdressers, who are commonly exposed to hair dyes, also showed increased risk, researchers said. That played a part in the study finding that risk is increasing for women at a quicker pace than men. The gender difference may also reflect a shift in the numbers of women in the workforce, they posited.
Either way, it’s a trend that should alarm cancer physicians, according to an accompanying editorial penned by a pair of cancer researchers.
“Bladder cancer continues to vary considerably by occupation, sex and calendar time ““ all indications that prevention is possible, and warranted,” wrote the doctors. “Workers around the world have the right to demand and get a safe and carcinogen-free workplace.”
The most common kind of bladder cancer, called transitional cell carcinoma, accounts for about 90 percent of cases. In these cases, cancer has affected the urothelial layers that line most of the urinary tract. Kidneys, ureters and the urethra are all lined with cells that are highly specific to the urinary tract. Only 3-5 cells deep, the cells are covered by a thick protective layer. Cancer affects their ability to protect organ walls.
In non-invasive cancer, the cells are still able to protect the organ walls and treatment is easier. Invasive cancer happens when the urothelial layer can no longer contain the cancer and it spreads to the organ wall and deeper into other tissues. The result is much tougher to treat, and accounts for a great number of bladder cancer deaths.
Early detection and treatment is important, before a non-invasive cancer progresses to invasive. Early signs are blood in the urine or problems urinating, lower back pain focused on one side or the other, or unexplained weight loss. If you suspect a problem, see your doctor for screening tests.
In the United States, rates of bladder cancer have been dropping, but not as quickly as other types of cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that around 74,000 new cases of the cancer will be diagnosed this year, about three-quarters of that number in men. About 16,000 deaths attributed to bladder cancer will be reported, though women diagnosed with the cancer have a higher death rate than men, typically.
There are around 500,000 bladder cancer survivors in the U.S., according to ACS statistics. For more information, including cancer resources, screenings and program dates, click here.
