Cancer Research UK says: “The risk of developing cancer depends on a number of things, including your age, genetics and lifestyle and environmental factors.
“Anything that can increase your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Different cancers have different risk factors. Having one or more of these risk factors doesn’t mean you will definitely get that cancer.”
The NHS says smoking is the single biggest risk factor for bladder cancer. It explains: “If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine.
“The bladder is repeatedly exposed to these harmful chemicals, as it acts as a store for urine. This can cause changes to the cells of the bladder lining, which may lead to bladder cancer.”