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 is another huge risk factor for persons that work in dye industries. The earliest case to be reported was way back in 1895 in Europe. It was not until the 1950s that these findings were confirmed. The cause-effect relationship between aromatic amines and cancer has been demonstrated in many other places all over the world. Naphthylamine and benzidine are the most notorious of the amines.
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 or PET is one of the modern investigative methods that have been developed. In this treatment, images of internal organs are easily visualised and the site of disease identified. Typically a radioactive substance is injected into the body and through the blood stream it is absorbed by virtually all organs. Cancerous cells absorb more than other cells. A special scanner is then used to identify these cells.
Both the incidence and prevalence is fairly high. Statistics vary between countries and over time. In the UK it represents about 5% of all cancer cases in males and 2% in females. It is the seventh commonest in males and eleventh commonest in females. In 2010 just over 10, 000 new cases were reported of which three quarters affected males. The statistics are not very different from what is seen in the rest of the European continent.
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 is another huge risk factor for persons that work in dye industries. The earliest case to be reported was way back in 1895 in Europe. It was not until the 1950s that these findings were confirmed. The cause-effect relationship between aromatic amines and cancer has been demonstrated in many other places all over the world. Naphthylamine and benzidine are the most notorious of the amines.
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 or PET is one of the modern investigative methods that have been developed. In this treatment, images of internal organs are easily visualised and the site of disease identified. Typically a radioactive substance is injected into the body and through the blood stream it is absorbed by virtually all organs. Cancerous cells absorb more than other cells. A special scanner is then used to identify these cells.
Both the incidence and prevalence is fairly high. Statistics vary between countries and over time. In the UK it represents about 5% of all cancer cases in males and 2% in females. It is the seventh commonest in males and eleventh commonest in females. In 2010 just over 10, 000 new cases were reported of which three quarters affected males. The statistics are not very different from what is seen in the rest of the European continent.
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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