How common is bladder cancer?

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According to the ACS, there were around 81,180 new cases of bladder cancer in the U.S. in 2022. This makes up around 4.2% of all new cancer cases that year.

There were around 17,100 deaths from bladder cancer in the U.S. in 2022. About 12,120 of these were men, and 4,980 were women.

In 2022, bladder cancer accounted for around 2.8% of all cancer deaths.

The ACS states that, in recent years, the rates of new bladder cancer cases and deaths have been dropping slightly in women.

New cases have also been decreasing in men, but bladder cancer deaths in men have remained stable.

Researchers are not entirely sure why bladder cancer is more common in males than females. The difference is present even when they take into account behavioral risk factors for cancer, such as smoking, according to a 2016 review.

This implies that the disparity could be due to biological factors that make males more vulnerable to bladder cancer, rather than an increase in exposure risk.

However, women are likely to experience delays in diagnosis and tend to have more advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis.

Learn more about bladder symptoms, treatments, and more.

The 5-year relative survival rate for bladder cancer is around 77.1% for all the stages combined.

A 5-year relative survival rate of 77.1% means that people with bladder cancer are, on average, about 77.1% as likely as those without bladder cancer to live for at least 5 years after their diagnosis.

However, the statistics differ slightly depending on the type of bladder cancer and the stage at diagnosis, among other factors.

The ACS provides these stage-specific survival rates for bladder cancer between the years 2011 and 2017:

Researchers base these estimates on a large number of bladder cancer cases, but they do not necessarily reflect an individual’s outlook for bladder cancer.

Many factors can influence a person’s survival rate for bladder cancer, such as their overall health and age. A doctor can provide more specific information about an individual’s outlook.

Learn more

Learn more about bladder cancer.

• What to know about late stage bladder cancer
• What to expect with bladder removal surgery

The most important risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking. People who smoke are about 3 times more likely to get bladder cancer than people who do not. Smoking causes around 50% of all bladder cancers.

Additionally, bladder cancer mainly occurs in older adults. Around 9 in 10 people with bladder cancer are over the age of 55 years. The average at diagnosis is 73 years.

In the U.S., white people are more likely to receive a bladder cancer diagnosis than African Americans or Hispanic Americans. Researchers are not sure why this is the case.

Other risk factors include:

• having a family history of bladder cancer, which may be due to genetic mutations
• having high exposure to some workplace chemicals, such as chemicals in dye or paint
• taking certain types of chemotherapy medications
• having a history of cancer anywhere in the urinary tract
• having chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Overall, men have a 1 in 27 chance of developing bladder cancer during their lifetime. For women, the chance is around 1 in 89.

This section answers some frequently asked questions about bladder cancer and its statistics.

Is bladder cancer very common?

In the U.S., bladder cancer was around the sixth most common cancer overall in 2022, with approximately 81,180 new cases.

Among males, it is the fourth most common cancer. However, it is less common in females.

What is the number one cause of bladder cancer?

Smoking causes around half of all bladder cancers, making it the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. The best way to prevent bladder cancer is to avoid or quit smoking.

Exposure to certain carcinogens in the workplace may also increase a person’s risk of developing bladder cancer.

The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry associates the following substances and occupations with bladder cancer:

• aluminum production
• rubber industry
• leather industry
• 4-aminobiphenyl
• benzidine

Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the U.S., according to the NCI.

The NCI estimated it as the sixth most common cancer in 2022, with around 81,180 new cases.

It is more common in men than women. Men have a roughly 1 in 27 chance of developing bladder cancer during their lifetime, and women have a 1 in 89 chance.

People who smoke are at least 3 times more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who do not. Avoiding or quitting smoking is the best thing a person can do to prevent bladder cancer.