Epidemiological Characterization of Diseases of Abnormal Proliferation of Cells: the Bladder Cancer Situation

Background: Epidemiological principle of Person-Time-Place model in descriptive epidemiological studies has been very critical in establishing profiles of the population at risk of cancer of various sites. This review paper aimed at reporting the epidemiological characterization of cancer of the bladder in view of mapping of the important risk factors contributing to its development and highlight prevention and control measures. Methods: The method used was scoping review of relevant literatures from open-access journals, cancer research centres, health institutes and google scholar data base, as well as research reports on variables of the subject across the globe. Results: Findings showed that bladder cancer is diagnosed, globally in about 275,000 persons yearly, and about 108,000 dying from it, accounting for 2.5% of all cancer mortality. The survival rate for patients over 85 years of age is 40% against 83.4% for patients below 54 years of age. Its incidence, gave male-to-female ratio from 4.1 to 9:1 in developing countries compared to 3:1 to 4:1 in developed countries. The cancer is about six times more common in Caucasians than in Africans in incidence of transitional cell carcinoma. Widowed patients are shown to have significantly higher risk of bladder-cancer-specific mortality (P < .001). Occupational chemical of aromatic amines origin exposures are linked to about 25% of all bladder cancer cases. The disease has a long latency periods of 10 to 30 years requirement for accumulated damage to bladder tissue from carcinogens with a ratio 4:1 among smokers and non-smokers. Duration of catheterization directly correlates with an increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma. Early radiation therapy or specific chemotherapy are capable of increasing risk, leading to a median latency of about 10 years post-treatment. It has one of the highest recurrence rates of about 70% within 5years among malignancies. In Schistosoma endemic areas and countries, bladder cancer incidence male to female ratio ranges from 4:1 to 5.9:1 against 3:1 in areas/countries of non-endemicity. Religion and culture are considered as external influence on exposure to risk factors rather than direct differences in susceptibility to the disease. Conclusion/Recommendation: Noting the enormous burden of cancer of the bladder and its public health implications based on the risk factors through epidemiological mapping, there is dire need to put in place public health intervention programme in line with the prevention and control measures as highlighted in this paper as well as need for studies on association between marital status and the occurrence of bladder cancer and the influence of treatment decision making, access, delay and racial discrimination in bladder cancer prognosis.