Trends in Carcinoma of the Bladder in the Young in Northern Nigeria

Background: Carcinomas, erstwhile considered diseases of advancing age, are increasingly being observed in the young, requiring comprehensive evaluation and specialised care to ensure the best possible outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the pattern and trend of bladder carcinoma in the young in northern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective Cancer Registry-based study in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, and included all bladder carcinomas diagnosed from 2012 to 2022. Results: In the 11 years studied, 338 bladder carcinomas were diagnosed, with a mean age of 54.3 years and the male-to-female ratio of 7:1. Overall, the proportion of cases <40 years of age was 19.8% (range: 8.6%–31.6%). The predominant histological subtype was transitional cell carcinomas at 59.8% (202/338 cases), followed by squamous cell carcinoma at 36.7% (124/338) and adenocarcinomas at 12 (3.6%). Schistosomiasis comorbidity with carcinoma of the bladder was more frequent among those <40 years (16% vs. 7%; P = 0.02). With P = 0.03, there was a statistically significant difference in comorbidity with the parasite in those <40 years and ≥40 years. Conclusion: Bladder cancer in <40 years is strongly associated with schistosomiasis and about 1 out of every 5 bladder carcinomas occur in patients <40 years of age. With a high frequency of schistosomiasis and reviewed literature indicating high exposure to polycyclic aromatic amines and high incidence of urinary tract infections, there is a need to institute healthcare policies that will nip the menace of the disease in the bud.