Gonorrhea is linked to bladder cancer risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Men who have a history of gonorrhoea also have a two-fold greater risk of bladder cancer according to a new study.
Gonorrhea is a common sexually-transmitted infection. It can be promptly treated with antibiotics, but previous research has suggested that it may be linked with the development of bladder cancer later on. Sometimes the infection recurs, causing symptoms like incomplete emptying of the bladder and also local inflammation, which could contribute to the development of bladder cancer. The previous studies were retrospective, meaning that information about gonorrhea exposure was gathered after the bladder cancer had been diagnosed. Such studies may not give the most accurate findings.

In a new report from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study the gonorrhea and bladder cancer link is looked at prospectively instead. The health of over 51,000 men in the USA has been monitored since 1986, during which time 286 cases of bladder cancer occurred. A complete gonorrhea history was available for all of these men. Analysis revealed that gonorrhea is linked to an increased risk of invasive bladder cancer. Further research is needed to determine whether it is the gonorrhea itself or the symptoms which raise the risk of bladder cancer.

Source
British Journal of Cancer 9th January 2007 Volume 96 Number 1

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