Bladder cancer research activities have been taking place for several years now. A number of studies have already been completed but others are still on-going. Most of the studies have given very useful insights that have helped in the improvement of existing treatments as well as in the creation of newer modalities. The studies have been centred on various disease aspects that have included, among others, the causes, the precipitating factors, prevalence and incidence.
Research has revealed that a number of factors act as risk factors of developing the cancer. Smoking has stood as the biggest risk factor contributing to about 38% of the cases in men and about 34% in women. These results are from a study published in the United Kingdom in 2010. Smoking increases the risk of getting the cancer about four times. The started also found out that the risk is highest in persons that have been smoking for many years and the heavy smokers.
Occupational exposure as a risk factor has the subject of numerous studies. From as early as 1895, the causal effect relationship between bladder cancer aromatic amines found in dyes has been known. The first cases were reported in some European countries but the same has now been demonstrated all over the world. Occupational studies conducted in the 1950s demonstrated that benzidine and naphthylamine carry a particularly high risk.
Apart from aromatic amines a number of other carcinogens have been discovered. The chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide and phenacetin are examples. Medical procedures such as irradiation of the pelvic region also contribute to some extent. Such irradiation may be required as a therapeutic measure for cervical or testicular cancers. For women that have undergone radiotherapy 40 or more years previously, the risk is about 6 times greater than it is in the general population
Positron emission tomography is a new investigative procedure that has been adopted for varied conditions including bladder cancer. In this procedure some form of radioactive dye is injected into the blood and subsequently absorbed by almost all the organs in the body. Cells that are cancerous in nature tend to absorb more dye than normal cells. A special type of scanner is then used to locate these abnormal cells.
The prevalence and incidence vary from one geographical location to another. They are also influenced by gender and ethnicity. In the UK, 5% of cancers are those of the bladder and in females this figure is at 2%. This makes it the seventh most common among males and eleventh most common among female patients. In 2010 close to 10,000 new cases were reported.
Statistics on mortality are not encouraging. In the United Kingdom about 3000 male patients succumb every year while about 1500 women suffer the same fate. The mortality rate is highest among the advanced age groups. The encouraging thing is that the figure has gone done greatly over the last several decades.
Bladder cancer research has been a very important step towards finding a solution to this problem. It has led to the development of newer treatment techniques and better preventive measures. The important thing is to ensure that unpublished studies are identified and published. Those that are not completed for one reason or another should be brought to completion.
Research has revealed that a number of factors act as risk factors of developing the cancer. Smoking has stood as the biggest risk factor contributing to about 38% of the cases in men and about 34% in women. These results are from a study published in the United Kingdom in 2010. Smoking increases the risk of getting the cancer about four times. The started also found out that the risk is highest in persons that have been smoking for many years and the heavy smokers.
Occupational exposure as a risk factor has the subject of numerous studies. From as early as 1895, the causal effect relationship between bladder cancer aromatic amines found in dyes has been known. The first cases were reported in some European countries but the same has now been demonstrated all over the world. Occupational studies conducted in the 1950s demonstrated that benzidine and naphthylamine carry a particularly high risk.
Apart from aromatic amines a number of other carcinogens have been discovered. The chemotherapeutic agent cyclophosphamide and phenacetin are examples. Medical procedures such as irradiation of the pelvic region also contribute to some extent. Such irradiation may be required as a therapeutic measure for cervical or testicular cancers. For women that have undergone radiotherapy 40 or more years previously, the risk is about 6 times greater than it is in the general population
Positron emission tomography is a new investigative procedure that has been adopted for varied conditions including bladder cancer. In this procedure some form of radioactive dye is injected into the blood and subsequently absorbed by almost all the organs in the body. Cells that are cancerous in nature tend to absorb more dye than normal cells. A special type of scanner is then used to locate these abnormal cells.
The prevalence and incidence vary from one geographical location to another. They are also influenced by gender and ethnicity. In the UK, 5% of cancers are those of the bladder and in females this figure is at 2%. This makes it the seventh most common among males and eleventh most common among female patients. In 2010 close to 10,000 new cases were reported.
Statistics on mortality are not encouraging. In the United Kingdom about 3000 male patients succumb every year while about 1500 women suffer the same fate. The mortality rate is highest among the advanced age groups. The encouraging thing is that the figure has gone done greatly over the last several decades.
Bladder cancer research has been a very important step towards finding a solution to this problem. It has led to the development of newer treatment techniques and better preventive measures. The important thing is to ensure that unpublished studies are identified and published. Those that are not completed for one reason or another should be brought to completion.
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