NIH Radio
Cigarette smoking implicated in half of bladder cancers in women
Brief Description:
This study, using more recent data, shows that half of bladder cancer cases in women are caused by smoking. This puts their risk on par with men.
Transcript:
Akinso: Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of bladder cancer than previously reported, and the proportion of smoking-related bladder cancer in women is now comparable to that in men.
Freedman: Current-smoking women had four times risk of bladder cancer as never-smoking women.
Akinso: Dr. Neal Freedman, at the NIH, is the author of a recent study.
Freedman: And this compares to previous studies where as current-smoking women have three times risk of bladder cancer as never-smoking women.
Akinso: This latest study uses data from over 450,000 participants in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a questionnaire-based study that was started in 1995, and included follow-up through the end of 2006. Dr. Freedman explains the differences between the current and the older data.
Freedman: We also found that 50 percent of bladder cancer could be attributed to cigarette smoking where as in previous studies in women it was about 20-30 percent. Previous studies were performed in populations where women didn't smoke as much. But in the US, women and men smoke similar amounts and we think this is why in our study the amount of bladder cancer attributed to smoking was higher.
Akinso: In the current study, former smokers were twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as never-smokers, and current smokers were four times more likely than those who never smoked. Dr. Freedman describes the risk for both groups.
Freedman: So it's less than current smokers but at the same time, there’s still a higher risk among former smokers than never-smokers.
Akinso: In 2011, approximately over 69,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in the United States, and close to 15,000 will die from the disease. For more information on this study and bladder cancer, visit www.cancer.gov. This is Wally Akinso at the NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 10/25/2011
Reporter: Wally Akinso
Sound Bite: Dr. Neal Freedman
Topic: cancer, bladder, smoking, men, women
Institute(s): NCI
Additional Info: Cigarette smoking implicated in half of bladder cancers in women
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