Carcinogenesis of Bladder Cancer: Exploring/Uncovering Environmental and Internal Risk Factors

Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network's (BCAN's) 2023 Think Tank Meeting Panel:

Co-chairs Sima P. Porten, MD, MPH, University of California, San Francisco and Sunil H. Patel, MD, MA, Johns Hopkins Medicine
"Why did I get bladder cancer?" is a question posed by many and often. A clinician’s response of “We do not know,” leaves us with a dilemma. Can we honestly say that the development of bladder cancer is due to external causes alone or are there internal risk factors that propagate or allow for carcinogenesis? Recent research in germline testing may shed light on internal factors. External factors, such as smoking and environmental or occupational toxin exposures may provoke the development of bladder cancer. What do we know? And better yet, what is left to discover about the cause of bladder cancer?
Invited discussion leader(s):
Bishoy Faltas, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine
Laura Bukavina, MD, MPH, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philip Abbosh, MD, PhD, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Lauren Trepanier, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVCP, University of Wisconsin