Risk factors for urothelial cancer: Quantity of liquids absorbed, smoking and ohter lifestyle factorsresults of the Berlin urothelial study (BUS)

With the exception of smoking and several occupational exposures there is l ittle knowledge about risk factors for urothelial cancer. A case control st udy in the area of former West Berlin was performed from 1990-1995 to inves tigate the role of several lifestyle risk factors, such as smoking, drinkin g behaviour and regular intake of analgesics and laxatives. The study inclu des 647 hospital-based incident cases with bladder cancer (n=571), renal pe lvis cancer (n=51), and ureter cancer (n=25), and 647 population-based cont rols which were matched individually by sex and age. Data analyses were car ried out using standard methods for case control studies (conditional multi ple logistic regression analysis). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence inte rvals (CI) were applied as effect parameter. Statistically significantly in creased odds ratios were observed for current smoking (OR: 3.46, 95% CI: 2. 50-4.78), previous but now abandoned smoking (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.09-2.81), and for regular intake of laxatives (OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.56-4.09). Further more, an increased risk for urothelial cancer was observed for daily consum ption of three and more litres of cold drinks (OR: 2.65 95% CI: 1.12-6.24). The results underline that lifestyle factors other than smoking may contri bute to a higher risk of urothelial cancer.