Facing the facts across the inequities of bladder cancer care

GENDER, RACE, and SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS can lead to disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and survival of patients with bladder cancer

GENDER disparities in care begin at diagnosis:

Icon reflecting men are 3x more likely than women to be diagnosed with bladder cancer
  • While men are 3-4 times more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than women, women are diagnosed with more advanced disease at presentation and have worse outcomes at all stages of the disease1,2
Icon of woman to represent the disparities women with bladder cancer face
  • Women:
  • Have lower survival rates due to being diagnosed at a later stage than men (6.5 vs 3.9 years for men)2
  • Represent 23% of all bladder cancer diagnoses but 31% of bladder cancer mortality3
  • Face additional risks and trauma during radical cystectomy surgeries that require the removal of reproductive organs to achieve the best oncologic outcomes4,5
Image of female bladder cancer patient with a somber expression as if reflecting on health disparities Not an actual patient.
Image of African American bladder cancer patient with a somber expression as if reflecting on health disparities Not an actual patient.

RACIAL disparities exist throughout the bladder cancer journey:

  • African American patients are less likely to receive a diagnostic evaluation for bladder cancer and tend to have a higher grade and stage of disease at the time of presentation6
Icon with dollar and downward arrow, reflecting how lower socioeconomic status is tied to bladder cancer health disparities
LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS is correlated with higher disease prevalence and worse outcomes3,7:
  • Increased diagnosis of high-risk disease
  • Decreased 5-year survival
  • Decreased overall survival
  • Higher relative risk of death
An equitable clinical program must be implemented that commits to representation and equal access so that treatments can be developed that work for the entire bladder cancer patient population
References: 1. American Cancer Society. Cancer facts and figures. 2025. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2025/2025-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf 2. Dobruch J, Daneshmand S, Fisch M, et al. Gender and bladder cancer: a collaborative review of etiology, biology, and outcomes. Eur Urol. 2016;69(2)300-310. 3. Weiner AB, Keeter M-K, Manjunath A, et al. Discrepancies in staging, treatment, and delays to treatment may explain disparities in bladder cancer outcomes: an update from the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2013). Urol Oncol. 2018;36(5):237.e9-237.e17. 4. Choi H, Park JY, Hyun J, et al. Health-related quality of life after radical cystectomy. Transl Androl Urol. 2020;9(6):2997-3006. 5. Richter LA, Egan J, Alagha EC, et al. Vaginal complications after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: a systematic review. Urology. 2021;156:e20-e29. 6. Ark JT, AlvarezJ R, Koyama T, et al. Variation in the diagnostic evaluation among persons with hematuria: influence of gender, race, and risk factors for bladder cancer. J Urol. 2017;198(5):1033-1038. 7. Russell B, Haggstrom C, Holmberg L, et al. Systematic review of the association between socioeconomic status and bladder cancer survival with hospital type, comorbidities, and treatment delay as mediators. BJUI Compass. 2021;2:140-158.
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