HEALTH TOPICS 
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.
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