Causes of bladder cancer

Who is more likely to get bladder cancer

It's not always known what causes bladder cancer.

You may be more likely to get bladder cancer if:

• you're over the age of 60
• you're a man
• you smoke or use chewing tobacco
• you've had a urinary catheter in for a long time
• you've had radiotherapy for cancer before
• you're overweight
• a close relative has had bladder cancer
• you have certain conditions, such as diabetes
• you've worked with chemicals, such as those used in the textile industry, or handling carbon or crude oil
• you've had an infection called schistosomiasis (bilharzia)

How to lower your risk of bladder cancer

You cannot always prevent bladder cancer, but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it.