Editorial

Occupational and Nonoccupational Causes of Bladder Cancer

Authors: Klaus Golka, MD

Abstract

An estimated 57,400 new cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed in the US in 2003, and an estimated 12,500 people died as a result of the disease.1 Cancer of the urinary bladder, as well as in the lower urinary tract lined with transitional cells, can be caused by toxicants contained in cigarette smoke, as well as by a number of occupational exposures. In former decades, bladder cancer was only associated with severe exposure to carcinogenic aromatic amines such as benzidine or β-naphthylamine. But due to the high carcinogenic potential of aromatic amines like benzidine, which has been associated with a 35- to 90-fold increase in bladder cancer risk, it is not surprising that professionals exposed to much lower levels are at elevated risk as well

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References

1. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Available at:http://www.cdc.gov/TOBACCO/sgr/sgr_2004/Factsheets/2.htm.
 
2. Olfert SM, Felknor SA, Delclos GL. An updated review of the literature: risk factors for bladder cancer with focus on occupational exposure. South Med J 2006;99:1256–1263.
 
3. Park J, Kim Y. Dye-manufacturing workers and bladder cancer in South Korea. In: Book of abstracts for the 28th International Congress on Occupational Health June 11–16 2006; Milan, Italy, p 238.
 
4. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service National Toxicology Program (2005) Benzidine and dyes metabolized to benzidine. In: Report on Carcinogens, 11th ed.http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s020benz.pdf.
 
5. Brennan P, Bogillot O, Cordier S, et al. Cigarette smoking and bladder cancer in men: a pooled analysis of 11 case-control studies. Int J Cancer 2000;86:289–294.