How to reduce your risk for bladder cancer American Cancer Society notes that 1 in 27 men will develop bladder cancer eventually and the risk of woman in a lifetime of getting the cancer stands at 1 per every 85. As you age, the same does your risk for bladder cancer also increase. About 90% of bladder cancer patients are aged 55 years and older. Even though it is not clearly known why bladder cancer is suffered by some people while others don’t, some factors exist which can increase the risk.

Just because you have one bladder cancer risk factor or more of them doesn’t necessarily imply that you will have bladder cancer anyway. In fact, some people with bladder cancer might not have heard any risk factors. Risk factors are just warning signs and it is essential that you are attentive to them and ensure that you stay at your healthiest state possible.

Bladder cancer risk factors

Some bladder cancer risk factors can’t be changed such as family history. However, it is advisable that you do everything possible to ensure that those that can be controlled are eliminated such as smoking.

Smoking: ACS says that smoking is the main risk factor responsible for development of bladder cancer. Smokers have double or triple risk of getting bladder cancer when compared to non-smokers. Scientists believe that chemicals inhaled by smokers usually enter the body and the kidneys filter them ultimately after which they are added to urine and later deposited in bladder. Such chemicals can seriously injure the cells which form the bladder lining thus increasing the risk for getting bladder cancer.

Gender: men have 4 times risk of having bladder cancer compared to women.

Race: the risk for bladder cancer is highest for the white people and it is two times that of Hispanics and African- Americans. The risk is lowest among the Asians.

Family history: if there was a family member who had bladder cancer, your risk of getting the same increases as well.

Personal history: people who suffered from bladder cancer sometime in the past have a much high chance of getting the cancer again. Still, having cancer at other parts of your urinary tract, i.e. urethra, kidneys and ureters also puts you at a high risk as well.

Work environment: being exposed to chemicals with a potential of causing cancers at work increases your risk as well. The risk is high for those working with dyes, textules, leather, paing, diesel fumes and rubber.

Chronic inflammation and infections of the bladder

A connection exists between inflammation of urinary tract and getting bladder cancer.

Chemo & radiation therapy: using chemo and radiation therapy to treat other types of cancers increase the risk of getting bladder cancer.

Having a good understanding of what can potentially cause bladder cancer helps you to make good lifestyle changes which lower your risk.