Epidemiology

Bladder cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide.[14] The age standardised incidence rate is greater in men than in women (9.5 per 100,000 and 2.4 per 100,000, respectively).[14] The lifetime risk of bladder cancer is reported to be 1.1% in men and 0.27% in women.[15]

Women are typically diagnosed with more advanced disease and have higher disease-specific mortality.​[11]​​​​[12][13][16]​​​​

Bladder cancer risk increases with age and primarily affects those ≥65 years.[16][17]​ In the US, more than 90% of patients present after the age of 55 years; median age at diagnosis is 73 years.[17]

In the US, bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer overall, and the fourth most common cancer in men.[17][18]​​​ An estimated 83,190 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in the US in 2024.[17] Incidence of bladder cancer is estimated to be 31.6 per 100,000 population for males and 7.8 per 100,000 population for females (based on 2017-2021 data; all races).[17] 

Non-Hispanic white people have the highest incidence rate; however, black people have a much lower survival rate than other racial groups.​[19][20]​​​​ Access to health care, delay in diagnosis and therapy, choice of treatment options, host factors, and differences in tumour substaging, may have a role.[21][22]​ Differences in exposure to risk factors, such as prevalence of tobacco smoking, occupational exposure to carcinogens, and infection with Schistosoma haematobium are thought to be responsible for the observed global variability in incidence and histological type.[15][23]

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