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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
05:19
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of Carcinogen-induced Murine Bladder Tumors
Published on: March 29, 2019
Urinary pH, cigarette smoking and bladder cancer risk
Juan Alguacil1, Manolis Kogevinas, Debra T Silverman
1Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. alguacil@dbasp.uhu.es
Carcinogenesis
|March 16, 2011
Summary
Acidic urine (pH ≤6.0) is linked to a higher risk of bladder cancer. This risk is amplified in smokers with acidic urine, suggesting urine pH modifies smoking-related bladder cancer risk.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Environmental Health
- Oncology
Background:
- 4-aminobiphenyl metabolites can activate in acidic urine, forming DNA adducts in the urothelium.
- Urine acidity may influence bladder cancer development, potentially interacting with environmental exposures like smoking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between urine pH and bladder cancer risk.
- To evaluate the combined effect of urine pH and cigarette smoking on bladder cancer risk.
Main Methods:
- A large multicenter case-control study in Spain involving 712 bladder cancer cases and 611 controls.
- Urine pH was measured twice daily for four consecutive days using dipsticks.
- Analysis considered urine pH alone and in interaction with smoking intensity.
Main Results:
- Consistently acidic urine (pH ≤6.0) was associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk of bladder cancer.
- The risk of bladder cancer for current smokers increased significantly with higher smoking intensity and acidic urine.
- A significant interaction was observed between acidic urine and heavy smoking (30+ cigarettes/day) (P=0.024).
Conclusions:
- Urine pH, influenced by diet and body surface area, may be a significant modifier of smoking-induced bladder cancer risk.
- Maintaining a less acidic urine pH could be a potential preventive strategy for bladder cancer, especially in smokers.
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