The risk for bladder cancer among smokers appears to be higher than previously reported, according to new data from a large prospective trial. In addition, the risk was found to be similar for both male and female smokers.
The new finding is reported in the August 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
As compared with never-smokers, both former and current smokers had an increased risk for bladder cancer. Former smokers had a 2.2 times increased risk for bladder cancer, and current smokers had a risk that was approximately 4 times higher relative to never-smokers.
The authors point out that their data differ from the summary risk estimate of 2.94 for current smokers, which was observed in 7 previous studies.
"The take-home message of our study should be that smoking is strongly associated with bladder cancer risk," lead author Neal D. Freedman, PhD, MPH, an investigator at the National Cancer Institute, told Medscape Medical News. "Our results emphasize the importance of preventing smoking initiation, and among current smokers, smoking cessation."
"There are many different carcinogens in cigarette smoke," he added. "Thus, the best public health approach is for people to never smoke, and if they smoke, to quit."
Just say NO folks and quit if you are still smoking.
For better health.....
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