BACKGROUND TO BLADDER CANCER

Facts and figures

• More than 250,000 people will develop cancer each year in the United Kingdom. (1)
• It is estimated that 1 in 3 people will develop cancer during their lifetime. (1)
• An estimated 219,000 new cases of bladder cancer occur each year world-wide, comprising about 3.2% of all new cancers and ranking eleventh on a world-wide basis. (2)
• Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer overall in the UK and the 4th most common in UK men. (1)
• 1 in 35 men and 1 in 93 women are at risk of developing bladder cancer in their lifetimes. (1)
• Bladder cancer is the second most common malignancy of the genitourinary tract with a US incidence of 52,000 (10,000 deaths per year. (3)
• UK incidence is 10,000 (2,3000 deaths per year). (4)
• The highest recorded incidence's of bladder cancer occur in white male populations in North America and North Western Europe. (2)
• 75% of patients present with bladder cancer which is confined to the superficial mucosa of the bladder where 5 year survival is 90%. (5)
• Over 50% of patients with superficial bladder cancer will have a recurrence, 15% of these will present with muscle invasion. (6)
• Mortality rates for bladder cancer are rising in most countries, with the exception of the USA and Canada and these changes are more marked in men than women. (2)

References

1. Cancer Research Campaign. Fact Sheet Series 1994
2. Thomatis L et al. Cancer: Causes, Occurrence and Control. 1990. IARC Scientific Publication, No 100.
3. Cancer Facts and Figures 1992. American Cancer Society.
4. Stuart, N.S.A. Keys facts in Oncology. Churchill Livingstone
5. US National Cancer Institute
6. Whitmore, W F. Bladder Cancer: An overview. Cancer 1988;38:213