Dietary Cholesterol ‘Could Increase’ Bladder Cancer Risk In Men

A new study looking into the impact of dietary cholesterol intake has found that, with higher intake of products like animal fat, there is an increased risk of bladder cancer in men.

Carried out by the World Cancer Research Fund, the study involved more than 540,000 participants from 11 different countries, with each individual’s fat and oil intake calculated in grams per day per 1,000 kcal.

For women, it was found that consuming monounsaturated fatty acids and plant-based oils saw the risk of developing bladder cancer decrease.

The biggest cause of high cholesterol is eating large amounts of food containing saturated fat, such as red meat, sausages, meat pies and so on. Other risk factors include not getting enough exercise and being overweight.

Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer in the world and the sixth most common cancer in men. For women, it’s the 17th most common cancer. In 2020, there were approximately 573,000 new cases of bladder cancer.

Commenting on the study’s findings, lead author Dr Anke Wesselius said: “How fats and oils affect the development of bladder cancer hasn’t yet been fully explored, though saturated fats play a big part in many Western diets.

“These findings suggest that the quality of fat consumed has an impact on the likelihood of developing bladder cancer, and men could see a benefit in reducing levels of animal fats in their diets.”

Familiarising yourself with some of the main symptoms of bladder cancer could prove beneficial, as you may be able to catch the disease before it has a chance to spread. Early intervention is key when it comes to health. 

Common symptoms include blood in your urine,a need to urinate more frequently, sudden urge to urinate and a burning sensation when urinating.

Looking for private bladder cancer treatment in the UK? Get in touch with Sheffield Oncology today.