Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Frequent Urinary Infections May Signal Bladder Cancer In Elderly, Says Study

Frequent Urinary Infections May Signal Bladder Cancer In Elderly, Says Study

Older adults who repeatedly experience urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be at risk of <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/bladder-cancer">bladder cancer</a>, according to a study published in The Lancet Primary Care journal today.

The study showed that older adults (aged 67-81) with three UTIs in a period of six months have an over five times higher risk of bladder cancer. Those with five or more UTIs have more than 13 times higher risk. 

"Our data suggest that recurrent UTIs within six months were a strong signal of bladder cancer risk,” said corresponding author Dr. Yin Zhou, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, UK. 

"Our findings can help to refine existing guideline recommendations for patients with recurrent UTIs who might benefit from further investigations to rule out possible bladder cancer," Zhou added. 

The analysis included over 50,000 patients, consisting of 17,157 cancer patients and 36,779 controls, who were aged between 67 and 81, with at least one episode of UTI before the cancer diagnosis date.

The results showed that the association was strongest when multiple UTIs occurred within six months. 

The association was also particularly strong in women. It may be because women are more likely to have repeated UTIs, and frequent infections over a short period should prompt doctors to consider further tests. 

The study could help doctors clarify what counts as a recurring UTI and inform guidelines around deciding when older patients should be referred for further tests to detect bladder cancer, the researchers noted. 

<h2>What Is Bladder Cancer, And How Is It Linked To UTIs </h2>

Bladder cancer is often smoking-related and the ninth most common cancer type worldwide. It is caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the bladder lining, forming tumors. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, more than 600,000 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer worldwide, and more than 220,000 people died from the disease. 

It is one of the most challenging and expensive cancers to diagnose and treat, as it often presents symptoms similar to UTI, making it harder to spot. 

On the other hand, UTI is a more common condition, with over 4.49 billion cases and 300,000 deaths reported in 2021. It is caused by bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli (E Coli), entering the urethra and multiplying in the bladder.

The common symptoms for both bladder cancer and UTIs include blood in urine, pain, frequent urination. 

Recurrent UTIs lead to long-term inflammation that damages the bladder lining, causing cellular mutations and driving abnormal cell growth.

The constant irritation from infections can create a perfect environment for the tumor to grow.

Various studies show that 30-40 percent of people with bladder cancer report symptoms or diagnosis of <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/urinary-tract-infection">urinary tract infection</a> in the year before a diagnosis of bladder cancer.

In people with bladder cancer, antibiotic prescriptions for UTIs often increase 7–11 months before a diagnosis in primary care, suggesting that these symptoms commonly occur a long time before the cancer diagnosis.

Health Conditions A-Z

health

Bladder Cancer

Urinary Tract Infection

bladder infection

lancet study

tumor

inflammation

E. coli (Escherichia coli)

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Older adults who repeatedly experience urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be at risk of bladder cancer, according to a study published in The Lancet Primary Care journal today. The study showed that older adults (aged 67-81) with three UTIs in a period of six months have an over five times higher risk of bladder cancer. Those with five or more UTIs have more than 13 times higher risk.  "Our data suggest that recurrent UTIs within six months were a strong signal of bladder cancer risk,” said corresponding author Dr. Yin Zhou, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, UK. "Our findings can help to refine existing guideline recommendations for patients with recurrent UTIs who might benefit from further investigations to rule out possible bladder cancer," Zhou added.  Key Findings The analysis included over 50,000 patients, consisting of 17,157 cancer patients and 36,779 controls, who were aged between 67 and 81, with at least one episode of UTI before the cancer diagnosis date.  The results showed that the association was strongest when multiple UTIs occurred within six months. The association was also particularly strong in women. It may be because women are more likely to have repeated UTIs, and frequent infections over a short period should prompt doctors to consider further tests.  The study could help doctors clarify what counts as a recurring UTI and inform guidelines around deciding when older patients should be referred for further tests to detect bladder cancer, the researchers noted.  What Is Bladder Cancer, And How Is It Linked To UTIs Bladder cancer is often smoking-related and the ninth most common cancer type worldwide. It is caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the bladder lining, forming tumors. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, more than 600,000 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer worldwide, and more than 220,000 people died from the disease. It is one of the most challenging and expensive cancers to diagnose and treat, as it often presents symptoms similar to UTI, making it harder to spot. On the other hand, UTI is a more common condition, with over 4.49 billion cases and 300,000 deaths reported in 2021. It is caused by bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli (E Coli), entering the urethra and multiplying in the bladder.The common symptoms for both bladder cancer and UTIs include blood in urine, pain, frequent urination. Recurrent UTIs lead to long-term inflammation that damages the bladder lining, causing cellular mutations and driving abnormal cell growth. The constant irritation from infections can create a perfect environment for the tumor to grow. Various studies show that 30-40 percent of people with bladder cancer report symptoms or diagnosis of urinary tract infection in the year before a diagnosis of bladder cancer. In people with bladder cancer, antibiotic prescriptions for UTIs often increase 7–11 months before a diagnosis in primary care, suggesting that these symptoms commonly occur a long time before the cancer diagnosis.