Risk factors for bladder cancer found

Massachusetts researchers have identified three new chemical risk factors for bladder cancer in a study involving some 600 people in the Los Angeles area.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in a study described in this week's issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, say newly discovered carcinogens are found in cigarette smoke, already known to be a major cause of bladder cancer, contributing to at least 50 percent of the approximately 60,000 cases in the United States every year.

All three of the new carcinogens, however, were also found to be risk factors for bladder cancer in non-smokers. Although second-hand smoke is one source of exposure for non-smokers, the researchers say that it is very important to identify the other sources of exposure for non-smokers.

"Identifying the non-smoking related sources of these (carcinogens) should become a high scientific priority," said lead investigator Steven R. Tannenbaum.

His team also identified six chemicals in the same chemical family that do not appear to be human carcinogens. Because they are chemically similar to their three noxious cousins, they could potentially lead to safer alternatives for the latter.

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