Is there a connection between early menopause and bladder cancer?
There is data to suggest that women who have a menopause before age 42 do have an increased risk of bladder cancer, and that’s whether it’s a natural menopause or a surgically induced menopause following hysterectomy. Broad-based populational studies seem to hold that evidence up. The hazard ratio is not huge; it’s somewhere around 1.15% to 1.2%, but there tends to be a hormonal component. Interestingly, one of the aspects of bladder cancer in men that’s being looked at, is the role of testosterone in aging males with declining testosterone. Does that put them at a greater risk? There may be some hormonal risk that’s unrecognized right now for both genders.
