Bladder Cancer

What Is It?

This type of cancer occurs in the bladder — the organ that stores urine. The bladder has an inner lining surrounded by a layer of muscle. Bladder cancer begins in the inner lining of the bladder. It is usually discovered before it has spread past this lining.

Risk factors for bladder cancer include:

• Cancer-causing substances such as tobacco smoke and chemicals in the environment
• Exposure to certain industrial chemicals
• Long-standing bladder stones

Bladder cancer tends to return in people who have had the disease.