What are the causes of bladder cancer?

In recent years, the incidence of bladder cancer in some cities in my country has shown a steady upward trend. In major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, the incidence of bladder cancer ranks sixth among common male malignant tumors, and the mortality rate ranks seventh. The onset of bladder cancer is a multi-factor, multi-gene, and multi-step process. The accumulation of abnormal genotypes and the effects of the external environment ultimately lead to the appearance of malignant phenotypes. The cause of the disease is not yet fully understood, and is related to the following factors:

① Environment and occupation: It has been confirmed that β-naphthylamine, benzidine, 4-aminobisphenyl, etc. are carcinogens of bladder cancer. They are intermediate products in the manufacture of dyes or antioxidants in the rubber and plastics industries. Long-term exposure to these substances is prone to bladder cancer.

② Other abnormalities in tryptophan and niacin metabolism may be the cause of bladder cancer, but other chronic diseases also have such abnormalities. Schistosoma haematobium parasitic in the bladder, leukoplakia, glandular cystitis, urinary stones, urinary retention, etc. may also be the cause of bladder cancer.

Pathology is related to the tumor's tissue type, degree of cell differentiation, growth pattern and infiltration depth, among which cell differentiation and infiltration depth are the most important. The tumor is mostly distributed on the lateral and posterior walls of the bladder, followed by the triangular area and the top. It can occur in multiple centers. Bladder tumors may be accompanied by renal pelvis, ureter, and urethral tumors successively or simultaneously.

The spread of bladder tumors mainly infiltrates deep into the tissues outside the bladder. Lymphatic metastasis is common. For those who infiltrate the superficial muscle layer, about 50% of the lymphatic vessels have control cells, and for those who infiltrate the deep muscle layer, almost all the lymphatic vessels have cancer cells. When bladder cancer infiltrates into the tissues surrounding the bladder, most of them have distant lymph node metastasis. Hematogenous metastasis is mostly in the late stage, mainly metastasized to the liver, lungs, bones, etc. Tumor cells with poor differentiation are prone to infiltration and metastasis.

Editor's message: The increase in the concentration of bacteria in urine can not only cause cystitis, but also continuously produce adverse stimulation to the bladder mucosa. Over time, the bladder mucosa, under the dual stimulation of bacteria and carcinogens, can gradually cause inflammation and erosion to lead to cancer. To prevent the occurrence of bladder cancer, you should drink enough water to dilute the urine and excrete it in time. In this way, the bacteria and carcinogens in the urine will be relatively reduced, which can reduce the stimulation and damage to the bladder mucosa and play a role in preventing bladder cancer.