BOSTON, Jan. 11 -- A history of gonorrhea may translate into a twofold increased risk of bladder cancer for men, researchers here reported.
The association was stronger for invasive and advanced bladder cancer and among smokers, Dominique Michaud, Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues, reported online and in the January issue of the British Journal of Cancer.
Dr. Michaud's team recently reported a positive association between a history of gonorrhea and urinary tract symptoms. On the basis of these earlier findings, the investigators said, gonorrheal infections, generally acquired relatively early in adulthood, may have a long-lasting impact on bladder function.
It is plausible therefore, they said, that the inflammation producing these urinary symptoms, or increased urinary stasis from incomplete bladder emptying, or a combination of these could be involved in bladder carcinogenesis.
