Does Quantification of Smoking History Correlate with Initial Bladder Tumor Grade and Stage?

The causal association between cigarette smoking and urothelial bladder cancer has been firmly established for several decades. However, the impact of smoking intensity on initial tumor aggressiveness is less established and is reviewed in this manuscript. Particular attention is given to the relation between smoking history with both muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). This article also briefly reviews the epidemiologic evidence, smoking-associated carcinogenesis, and the limitations of quantifying smoking history. There is evidence to suggest that smokers have a three-fold increased risk of developing invasive bladder cancer compared to non-smokers, and smoking cessation can reduce this risk. Continued efforts should be made to raise awareness of bladder cancer in smokers and to advocate further for smoking cessation.