Occupational bladder cancer: from cohort study to biologic molecular marker.

Cancer prevention in people occupationally exposed to carcinogens that cause bladder cancer has focused on early cancer detection by use of traditional screening methods including hematuria testing, urinary cytology, and cystoscopy. However, these screening methods showed limitations in terms of reducing mortality from bladder cancer. Currently, several molecular substances have shown potential as screening markers for bladder cancer. This article reviews epidemiologic cohort studies, hematuria screening, and the biologic molecular markers for bladder cancer related to occupational carcinogenicity. Considering the long latency period, new cases of occupational bladder cancer have been expected to occur more frequently. Because of recent advances in molecular techniques, biologic markers have a potential role in screening for and monitoring of occupational bladder cancers.