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Bladder cancer awareness campaign

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In Cyprus, bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in men and eighth among women; the main aggravating factor is smoking, said the Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (PASYKAF).

According to European data, bladder cancer is the 5th most common disease; more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, 655,000 people are currently living with it.

Smokers are considered particularly vulnerable, as they are four to seven times more likely to develop the disease.

At the same time, there is an increase in cases of bladder cancer in women due to the increase in the percentage of women who smoke.

Quitting smoking, according to experts, is considered a necessary component in the successful treatment of this cancer.

PASYKAF has launched a “Prevention and Treatment of Bladder Cancer” campaign to promote prevention and early diagnosis to reduce incidents reported annually and improve the quality of life of patients.

According to the Cancer Record Monitoring Unit, close to 140 new cases in Cyprus are reported each year in men and women over the age of 65.

The most common symptoms of bladder cancer are frequent urination, painful urination, an urgency to urinate, pain in the abdomen or lower back, and recurrent urinary tract infections.

People who may notice any of these symptoms are advised to speak to a urologist for further investigation.

Other aggravating factors for bladder cancer are exposure to chemicals like paint, working with leather and fuels in the workplace, chronic cystitis, recurrent urinary tract infections and long-term use of a catheter.

Diagnosis for bladder cancer includes general and urine culture to rule out urinary tract infection and document haematuria, cystoscopy to diagnose and monitor the disease, urine cytology and computed tomography (CT scan).