What Factors Can Increase The Risk Of Bladder Cancer?

While there are no definite causes of cancer, it can develop for many reasons, a lot of which are unknown, there are several factors which may increase your risk of developing it. For bladder cancer in particular, there are some additional risks.

Smoking cigarettes is something which can increase your risk of bladder cancer. While this may be shocking, as most people would assume smoking would affect the lungs and respiratory system, it can actually cause cancer in many other areas.

The carcinogenic chemicals within tobacco are filtered from the blood by your kidneys which means they end up in your urine, which is stored in the bladder until you go to the bathroom. Over time, repeated exposure to these chemicals can cause cancer to develop.

This is more likely to be a risk for heavy and frequent smokers however not smoking entirely is the best way to prevent bladder cancer from occurring as a result of smoking.

Bladder cancer can also be hereditary. If you have close family members who have suffered from bladder cancer you may be at an increased risk of developing it than someone with no family history of it.

This is because there are several genes which can be passed on to children which are faulty, which may increase the risk of developing cancer.

If you suffer from frequent or persistent UTIs and kidney or bladder stones, there may be a risk of developing bladder cancer. While the UTIs may not be the cause of bladder cancer, they can be a symptom of a type of cancer which may develop.

Your gender and age may also be a risk factor. Men over the age of 40 are more at risk of developing bladder cancer than any other group. Men in general are more at risk of developing this cancer.