Bladder Cancer Briefs January 4, 2023

What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?

Is your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than 16 million Americans are living with smoking-related diseases. More than 480,000 people die each year in the US due to smoking cigarettes, including secondhand smoke.

In a podcast interview with Dr. Richard Matulewicz, a urologic oncologist and assistant professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he talked about his work on smoking and bladder cancer. He stated that more than half of all bladder cancer cases can be directly tied to the effects of smoking – second only to lung cancer. Although there is less tar in cigarettes and far fewer people smoking than before, there are now higher concentrations of bladder cancer-specific carcinogens in cigarettes today than in prior years.

Smoking is not only affecting adults but there is now a concern for youth and young adults and their exposure to tobacco. Fewer young adults are smoking historically, but due to vapes and JUULING now being popular amongst the age group, these carcinogens and markers of exposure are being found in the urine.

Listen to Dr. Richard Matulewicz go into detail about What You Need to Know About Smoking and Bladder Cancer on the Bladder Cancer Matters podcast.  

Resources for Patients and Families

Visit Bladder Cancer and Smoking for additional resources for quitting.