Question: Bladder Cancer Causes
What causes bladder cancer?
Answer: At this time, researchers aren't sure of what exactly causes bladder cancer. They have, however, identified several risk factors for bladder cancer. A bladder cancer risk factor is something that increases the likelihood of developing bladder cancer. It does not guarantee you will develop the disease.
Risk factors for bladder cancer include:
- second hand smoke exposure
- race (caucasians develop the disease more frequently than others)
- gender (males develop the disease more frequently than females
- family history of bladder cancer
- a diet that is high in saturated fat
- recurrent urinary tract infections
- recurrent urinary stones
- chronic inflammation of the bladder
- cigarette smoking (smoking is attributed to more than half of cases of bladder cancer)
- infection of a parasite called schistosoma haematobium
- external beam radiation
- use of aristolochia fangchi (an herb used frequently in weight loss products)
