Bladder cancer is the 5th most common cancer in France, yet more than one in two French people ignore the warning signs. According to Dr. Benjamin Pradère, urologist, a sign in the toilet should be absolutely monitored.
Still too little known to the general public, bladder cancer has nevertheless risen to 5th place among the most common cancers in France (just behind lung cancer) with 20,000 new cases declared each year and an average age at diagnosis of 70 years. During a conference organized by the French Association of Urology (AFU), experts sounded the alarm: 54% of French people do not know the symptoms of the disease, which prevents early diagnosis which is nevertheless the key to cure.
If the origin of this cancer can be multiple, one culprit clearly stands out: tobacco. It constitutes the first risk factor identified by urologists. However, more than half of patients with bladder cancer have never smoked. Bladder cancer affects men much more than women (80% versus 20%). This historical difference is partly explained by greater tobacco consumption and occupational exposure to chemicals (chemical, plastics, construction sectors) among men in the past. However, the incidence of bladder cancer has been increasing among women in recent years, in line with increases in female smoking.
Whether in men or women, in 80 to 90% of cases, the first sign of bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine, which doctors call “hematuria”. The danger lies in the fact that this symptom is often intermittent and painless. “Since the bleeding may only last a day or two before disappearing, many patients do not dare talk about it or wait until it happens again. However, blood in the urine is never normal. In case of blood in the urine, even slight or brief, do not wait, consult quicklyinsists Dr Benjamin Pradère, urological surgeon at the La Croix du Sud Clinic and member of the AFU Board of Directors. Faced with a suspicious mole, the patient will consult. So when faced with blood in the urine, it must be the same“.
Despite the frequency of the disease, the message from urologists remains optimistic: bladder cancer is treatable if detected early. 80% of patients survive 5 years, making it a pathology with an overall favorable prognosis. Taken too late, the prognosis drops to 50% or even 5% at the metastatic stage.
The choice of treatment is based on the depth of the tumor: superficial forms are removed by natural means followed by local instillations, while infiltrative forms require more extensive surgery. Thanks to the development of immunotherapy and early diagnosis, 80% of patients achieve cure.
Comments collected during the AFU press conference organized on April 27, 2026.
