Posts Tagged "Bladder Cancer"

Despite efforts by lawmakers and manufacturers to protect workers and provide safe working environments, the risk of bladder cancer is still rising in certain industries, according to a review published online Oct. 8 in JAMA Oncology.

James Catto, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., of the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, and colleagues reviewed data from 263 studies involving 31 million people worldwide. The new analysis revealed an increased risk of developing bladder cancer in 42 out of 61 occupational classes, and an increased risk of dying from bladder cancer in 16 out of 40 occupational classes. Those at greatest risk from the malignancy were workers exposed to aromatic amines. Also at high  risk for bladder cancer and death from the disease were those exposed to heavy metals, and diesel and combustion products.

Workers exposed to these potential carcinogens include metal workers, electricians, mechanics, military service members, chimney sweeps, nurses, waiters, aluminum workers, seamen, and oil/petroleum workers, Catto’s team reported. Meanwhile, lower rates of bladder cancer were found in six out of 61 occupational classes, and reduced mortality risk was identified in just two of 40 classes. People working in agriculture were among those with the lowest risk.

“The profile of contemporary occupations with increased bladder cancer risk is broad and differs for incidence and mortality,” the authors write. “Currently the incidence seems to be increasing, and this increase is occurring faster in women than men. Improved detection mechanisms and screening are possible reasons for this. Workers with aromatic amine exposure have the highest incidence, while those exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals have the greatest mortality.”

Source: MPH

Persistent symptoms characteristic of urinary tract infection (UTI) that do not improve with time or treatment could indicate bladder cancer.

That’s the simple “take-home message” from a first of its kind study of UTI-like symptoms and bladder cancer, according to lead author Kyle Richards, MD, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The message is for clinicians and applies to both men and women, he told reporters during a press briefing here at the American Urological Association 2015 Annual Meeting.

Awareness is especially important when it comes women, said Dr Richards, because bladder cancer is most commonly associated with men.

“A lot of primary care doctors who are initially seeing these symptomatic patients are less aware that bladder cancer is even a possibility in women,” he explained.

And he pointed out that because bladder cancer most commonly presents as blood in the urine, or hematuria, UTI-like symptoms do not always raise suspicion for this cancer.

In their study — the first to look at patients with bladder cancer who present with UTIs — Dr Richards and his colleagues assessed the impact of this presentation on patient outcomes.

They report that diagnoses take longer and outcomes are poorer in men and women who present with UTIs than in men who present with hematuria.

Source: Medscape