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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
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An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies
Published on: December 1, 2013
Comparative outcomes of bladder cancer
Marylou Cárdenas-Turanzas1, Catherine Cooksley, Curtis A Pettaway
1Section of Health Services Research, Department of Biostatistics and Applied Mathematics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA. mcardena@mdanderson.org
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|July 4, 2006
Summary
Women diagnosed with bladder cancer, especially African-Americans, face shorter survival rates. This highlights the need for targeted, timely diagnosis and treatment strategies for female patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
- Urology
Background:
- Transitional cell bladder cancer affects both genders, but survival disparities may exist.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the survival rates between women and men diagnosed with transitional cell bladder cancer.
- To identify factors contributing to survival differences.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database for patient data from 1991-2001.
- Included patients aged 35+ with bladder cancer, excluding autopsy/death certificate diagnoses and unknown race.
- Employed Cox proportional hazard regression for survival analysis in advanced disease cases.
Main Results:
- A cohort of 31,009 patients was analyzed; 26.7% were women.
- Women were diagnosed at a slightly older median age (72 vs. 70 years).
- African-American women had higher rates of regional disease diagnosis (35.5%) compared to white women (20.3%) and men (17.6% white, 25.9% African-American).
- Female sex, African-American race, and advanced age were significant predictors of increased hazard of death.
Conclusions:
- Women with bladder cancer exhibit poorer survival, particularly African-American women.
- Factors contributing to this disparity include diagnosis of poorly differentiated tumors, advanced stage, and older age at diagnosis.
- Targeted screening and timely diagnosis initiatives for women are recommended to improve outcomes.
