Almost 500 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in Ireland every year, with the condition three times more common in men than women, the Marie Keating Foundation has said.

It has launched a new awareness campaign aimed at highlighting the warning signs of the disease, which is responsible for around 220 deaths annually.

Blood in urine is the most common symptom of the disease, however other symptoms include recurrent urinary tract infections, pain when passing urine, and needing to urinate suddenly and more frequently.

“There are different types of bladder cancer, and different ways to treat or manage it. The key is to diagnose bladder cancer as early as possible, giving patients the best chance of survival and quality of life with less invasive treatments,” commented Prof Ray McDermott, a consultant medical oncologist at Tallaght Hospital and St. Vincent’s Hospital, both in Dublin.

Research by the National Cancer Registry Ireland has previously found that five counties had a 15% higher average number of bladder cancer cases than expected. The highest number of cases per population size was found in Donegal, followed by Sligo, Leitrim, Meath and Louth.

“Over the past year, we have seen cancer services, screening and diagnosis disrupted across the board due to the pandemic. Bladder cancer rates have steadily increased year on year, and we want anyone with a family history of bladder cancer, or who might be experiencing symptoms, to be more aware of these changes in their bodies and to seek help,” commented Liz Yeates, CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation.

The awareness campaign, ‘Give Bladder Cancer the Red Card’, aims to encourage men, who are much more likely to develop bladder cancer, to know the signs of the disease, and to seek help if they notice any.

Almost 80% of those diagnosed are over the age of 65 and smoking is known to increase the risk.

More information on the campaign is available here.