the essential
Still too little known, bladder cancer causes the death of 5,000 people per year. The French Urology Association wants to raise awareness among the general public about the first symptoms of this cancer.
Bladder cancer is responsible for 5,000 deaths per year in France. Each year, it affects between 13,000 and 20,000 additional people. On the occasion of the 4e edition of Bladder Month, the French Association of Urology (AFU) wants to raise awareness among the general public about this cancer, 2e urological cancer (after that of the prostate) and 5th cancer in France but which we talk little about. Four times more common in men than in women, it is, on average, diagnosed around the age of 70.
“Too little known to the general public, bladder cancer is a real public health issue,” underlines Benjamin Pradere, urologist and member of the AFU cancerology committee. “It is essential to make the general public aware of the warning signs. The primary objective of Bladder Cancer Month is to make the general public aware of the seriousness of this cancer but also of the very good prognosis if it is diagnosed. diagnosed early.
Only 5% survival at the metastatic stage
Being informed means you have a great chance of survival. Indeed, detected early (from the first signs), the survival rate is 80% at 5 years. This rate quickly drops to 50%. At the metastatic stage, the survival rate does not exceed 5%. “Metastatic bladder cancer is one of the cancers with the poorest prognosis and one of the great challenges for urology in the 2020s,” notes the AFU.
Blood in the urine, the first sign that should alert
Currently, there is no validated method for systematic screening for bladder tumors. However, one sign should immediately alert you: hematuria, or the visible presence of blood in the urine. Present in 80 to 90% of cases, hematuria is the first symptom of bladder cancer.
“The AFU redoubles its efforts each year to make bladder cancer better known to the general public. The challenge: that patients themselves do not hesitate to consult in the event of suggestive symptoms. Hematuria remains the key symptom on which early diagnosis focuses. This is the first point that remains hammered out every year,” asserts Professor Yann Neuzillet, urological surgeon at Foch hospital in Paris.
Recurrent cystitis and urination problems (frequent urge to urinate, sudden and irrepressible urge to urinate, incontinence) are also signs that should prompt you to consult your doctor quickly.
What risk factors?
Tobacco is the leading risk factor for bladder cancer. It is responsible for 53% of bladder cancers in men and 39% in women. “Today, we consider that a smoker is 5.5 times more likely to be a victim of bladder cancer than a non-smoker. And this is especially true once he or she has started smoking. younger, and its consumption will be high.”
Among the other risk factors identified: certain occupational toxicants used in chemistry (dyes, dyes, etc.), in public works (tars), automobile repair (diesel smoke, etc.) or agriculture (arsenic). Certain diseases such as bilharzia (parasitic disease) and certain treatments can also increase the risks.
