Smokers have a four times greater chance to developing bladder cancer than non-smokers, …
Current smokers now have a four times greater chance of developing the disease than non-smokers, according to the findings. This compares with an almost three-fold raised risk identified by seven studies conducted between 1963 and 1987.
The greater danger for women is especially striking. Previously, 20% to 30% of cases of bladder cancer in women were found to be caused by smoking. Now smoking is responsible for 52% of female bladder cancers, 2% more than the proportion of men affected by the disease.
One reason for the greater association between smoking and bladder cancer may be changes in cigarette design, say the scientists whose results appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
While tar and nicotine concentrations in cigarette smoke have fallen over the past 50 years, levels of specific cancer chemicals have increased. They include beta-napthylamine, a known bladder carcinogen, according to the authors.
The new research used data from more than 450,000 participants in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, a major lifestyle and health investigation in the US. Information about smoking habits and history was collected and the progress of those taking part monitored from October 1995 to December 2006.
Analysis of the data showed that compared with "never smokers" former smokers had a 2.2 times increased risk of bladder cancer. For current smokers, the risk was four times higher.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Over 80,000 people die in England each year from smoking-related diseases such as cancer. That's why in March we published our plans to help drive down smoking rates and reduce the harms from tobacco over the next five years.
"Our plan is clear that we want local areas to develop and implement evidence-based local tobacco control strategies and work in partnership across their communities to encourage smokers to change their behaviours.
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