Bladder cancer is rising in young women. Here are signs to look out for

Bladder cancer starts in the lining of the organ, forming tumors that can interfere with the ability to urinate.The disease is now the seventh most common cancer in the U.S., with 84,530 diagnoses and 17,870 deaths expected this year, according to the American Cancer Society. While overall rates of bladder cancer have fallen since 2000, research published in July came to an alarming conclusion: rates of bladder cancer were rising in women under age 50. “What we have started seeing is 30 percent of all bladder cancers are now in females, which is incredibly interesting,” said Dr. Laura Bukavina, a urologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement earlier this month. “And we know that there is some kind of pathology happening that we don’t quite understand yet.”The surge was not seen in men and people over the age of 55, who make up the majority of cases.Research conducted this year shows bladder cancer cases are rising in one particular group. Experts tell The Independent there are several key ways to reduce risk (Getty Images)Although smoking cigarettes is the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer, Bukavina says the uptick in cases doesn’t appear to be tied to smoking or even genetics. Instead, she noted a possible tie to air pollution and water pollution, including from microplastics.“There is an association here, but we don’t know if there’s a causation,” she explained.The problem with plasticsThe microscopic plastic particles - which break off the larger plastics that humans produce - have invaded most parts of our bodies, including the urinary tract. Microplastics were previously found in bladder cancer samples, according to a 2024 review from Australia’s Bond University.While microplastics are spread throughout our oceans and the air we breathe, scientists are just starting to learn about their effects. Researchers at Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley, recently determined that microplastics are chemically active and can cause biological harm.The plastic debris harmed cells in the urinary tract by causing toxicity and inflammation, Bond University said.Microplastics are everywhere in the environment and our bodies. While researchers are still learning about their effects, they’ve been found in bladder cancer samples (Getty Images)Read with cautionExperts told The Independent that the Cleveland Clinic findings warrant further investigation.The dataset analyzed by Cleveland Clinic researchers, known as TriNetX, is large but may not be representative of the wider population, said Dr. Lucy Hooper, a private general practitioner and co-founder of London-based Coyne Medical. TriNetX includes data from 250 million patients collected from 2011-2023.“When we look at population cancer registries, they have not consistently shown the same pattern in bladder cancer rates. In fact, some registry data suggest that rates have gone down in younger women,” she said.The Independent has contacted Bukavina, the study’s author at the Cleveland Clinic, for comment.Notably, overall cancer rates in women under-50 are rising. “Women younger than age 50 are almost twice as likely to develop cancer than young men, a gap which has widened since the early 2000s,” the American Cancer Society states.Women ignore main symptomOther research reveals a concerning trend in women related to bladder cancer, Stephanie Berg, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said. Bladder cancer is “being diagnosed at later stages in women” because it is mistaken for other problems, such as a UTI or uterine fibroids.“Many women ignore the most basic symptom - blood in the urine,” Meri-Margaret Deoudes, CEO of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, told The Independent. “They may associate it with menstruation or menopause and delay reporting this symptom to their doctors.”Other symptoms to watch out for include needing to pee more often, feeling that you need to rush to pass urine or experiencing pain or burning. Unfortunately, waiting until symptoms have become more serious makes treating the cancer more difficult. “Even if you notice blood just once in your pee, you should tell your doctor,” Dr. Kyle Hoedebecke, a Clinical Advisor at Care Point Boston, said.Reducing riskBladder cancer can be cured - but it frequently comes back and is known as one of the most expensive cancers to treat. To reduce the chance of developing bladder cancer, women should avoid known risk factors. First, don’t smoke cigarettes. People who smoke are about three times more likely to develop bladder cancer as non-smokers, the University of Minnesota says.Second, try to limit exposure to industrial chemicals found in rubbers, leathers and textiles. Staying hydrated is important to reducing risk because fluids can help wash out lingering chemicals in the bladder (AFP via Getty Images)Chemicals in dyes called aromatic amines can cause bladder cancer, as well as arsenic in drinking water, genetic history and the use of certain diabetes medication and herbal supplements, the American Cancer Society says.Staying hydrated is crucial too. Fluids help flush out lingering chemicals in the bladder. Just maybe don’t drink bottled water. While researchers don’t yet know how microplastics could be tied to bladder cancer, they do know bottled water comes with more of the particles.“The degree to which people should (or even can) modify their exposure to microplastics is open to debate, but it seems logical to be thoughtful about environmental exposure to known drivers of cancer to the degree that someone is able to advocate for policy supporting cleaner emissions,” Dr. Ankeet Shah, an Assistant Professor at Duke Urology, told The Independent.