If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, you’ve probably had conversations with a doctor about what might have caused it. When talking about bladder cancer, your doctor might ask if you smoke. If you don’t smoke, they may ask about other factors that could have played a role.

A connection between smoking and bladder cancer might seem odd. After all, smoking seems more likely to harm your lungs than your bladder. If you’re wondering about the link between smoking and bladder cancer, here’s what you need to know.

Does Smoking Cause Bladder Cancer?

Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer. Cigarette smoking makes the risk of bladder cancer four times higher compared to that of people who have never smoked. Other bladder cancer risk factors include being exposed to certain chemicals at work, not drinking enough fluids every day over a long period of time, drinking water with arsenic in it (for most Americans, this isn’t a concern), and taking certain medications or supplements. Your race or ethnicity, your age, any previous bladder problems, or a family history of bladder cancer can also increase your chances of developing bladder cancer.

Smoking Is a Major Risk Factor for Bladder Cancer

In fact, cigarette smoking is connected to about half of all cases of bladder cancer. While there are other risk factors for bladder cancer, doctors consider smoking the most important one.

These statistics hold for both men and women, per the National Institute of Health, although men are significantly more likely to experience bladder cancer overall. No matter what gender you are, smoking makes you more likely to get bladder cancer than if you don’t pick up the habit.

Smoking Habits Contribute to Your Risk of Bladder Cancer

If you started smoking when you were young, smoked for many years, and/or smoked a large number of cigarettes, you are more likely to develop bladder cancer at some point during your life. This higher risk happens because harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke build up in your bladder over time and can cause damage.

Smoking Increases the Risk of Bladder Cancer Recurrence

People who currently smoke or who used to smoke are also at an increased risk of having their bladder cancer come back. Even if treatment eliminates the cancer, smoking is a major risk factor for it to come back.

Quitting Smoking Can Lower Your Risk

People who used to smoke but have quit are still more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never smoked, but they’re not as likely to get it as people who currently smoke. If you’ve quit smoking, you can lower your risk of developing bladder cancer by 25 percent over 10 years. The longer you go without smoking, the less likely you are to get bladder cancer. Quitting a tobacco habit could lower your risk significantly.

It’s important to note that these statistics are about people who smoke tobacco products. For example, there’s less cancer research on people who smoke marijuana. Smoking nontobacco products may also contribute to bladder cancer, but there’s not enough research to make clear connections on that topic yet.

How Does Smoking Cause Bladder Cancer?

Smoking can cause bladder cancer because tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals that are toxic to the body. In fact, there are more than 70 chemicals in tobacco smoke that are carcinogens (cause cancer).

The damage to your bladder occurs when these harmful chemicals are on their way out of the body. Your bladder is part of the urinary system, which filters and removes toxins from your body. It works alongside your kidneys and your urinary tract to get rid of them. When you urinate, you get rid of these and other toxins that your body has processed and is ready to remove.

However, before you pee them out, these toxins can sit in your bladder for quite a while, especially if you’re dehydrated or asleep at night. When they are there, they can damage your bladder and bladder lining. This damage can eventually lead to bladder cancer.

What To Do if You Smoke and Have Bladder Cancer

The most helpful step you can take if you have a new bladder cancer diagnosis and you smoke is to quit smoking. Quitting may feel impossible, especially if you’ve tried to quit before but couldn’t. Remember that you’re not alone. Most people who successfully quit smoking try at least 30 times before they manage to do it. Trying, failing, and trying again is all part of the process.

If you’ve been diagnosed with bladder cancer, it’s important to find an oncologist (cancer doctor) whom you like and trust. They will determine your bladder cancer treatment options, and they can also connect you to resources to help you quit smoking.

If you’re nervous about talking to your health care providers about your smoking history, that’s OK. If you’ve tried to quit before, make sure to tell them that and explain what methods you’ve tried. With this information, they can better understand your smoking history and suggest options that may work better for you.

When It Comes To Quitting Smoking, You Have Options

You have a lot of choices when it comes to how to end a tobacco habit. The primary approaches to quitting smoking are medications, behavioral therapy, or a combination of both. There are also phone numbers, texting services, and even apps you can use to get the support you need to quit.

There are several medications available to help you quit smoking. Some are nicotine substitutes that allow you to get nicotine without all of the other damaging chemicals. Others are medications you take by mouth that have proved to help people quit smoking.

Some people find that coaching goes well alongside smoking cessation medications. It helps them get the most out of their medications and learn how to deal with cravings and the behavioral habit of smoking. Others may choose to either quit entirely all at once or stop smoking slowly without medication.

There may be additional resources available in your local area. Some may even be tailored for people with bladder cancer. Your health care provider will be more likely to know about these and be able to connect you to them.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyBladderCancerTeam is the social network for people with bladder cancer and their loved ones. On MyBladderCancerTeam, members and their families come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with bladder cancer.

Have you experienced a connection between smoking and bladder cancer? Do you worry about your bladder cancer risk because you used to smoke? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.