Bladder Cancer and Occupational Risk
The COSHH (The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations
are designed to protect workers from being exposed to hazardous
substances during the course of their work.
If your employer breaches the COSHH regulations and you suffer because of their
negligence you have the right to make a claim for compensation. If you have
suffered harm caused by exposure to hazardous substances at work, you
should seek legal advice to find out where you stand in relation to compensation.
The definition of "harm" is wide and encompasses many conditions including skin
asthma dermatitis and even
bladder cancer has been linked to various types of industrial
work for many years.
Bladder Cancer - What is it?
Bladder cancer like all cancer is an abnormality of a cell
which results in the uncontrollable division of cells. These cells
then link to become a mass (tumour). Although the tumour can develop in one area
such as the bladder the cells of the mass can break away and enter other parts of
the body, causing the spread of the cancer, this process is known as metastasis.
Nine out of ten cases of bladder cancer in the UK are Transitional
Cell bladder cancer (TCC), also known as urothelial cancer
which develops from the cells of the bladder lining. It is the contact with the
waste products in the urine that can cause these cells to become cancerous. TCC
can take many forms including:
- superficial bladder cancer - contained within the lining of the bladder
- papillary bladder cancer - small growths growing out of the bladder lining
- "carcinoma in situ" - flat cells with abnormal appearance that can grow quickly
- T1 tumours - the cells have grown from the lining into the lamina propria layer
TCC can become invasive whereby it grows into the muscle layer and beyond, spreading
to other parts of the body. The cancer is then staged by how far it has spread from
the lining of the bladder.
Two other types of bladder cancer include Squamous Cell (forms 8% of all cases) and Adenocarcinoma of the bladder (forms 1 to 2% of all bladder cancer cases in the UK and are very rare).
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
The most common symptom that occurs in over 80% of bladder cancer
cases is painless and intermittent blood in the urine, although
this is not a symptom just relating to bladder cancer. Other symptoms include an
increased frequency and urgency on passing urine and pain on passing urine.
The Health and Safety Executive issued a press release in 2003 (E016:03-5 u 2003)
which acknowledged that employees exposed to PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
run an increased risk of certain types of cancer including bladder cancer.
Bladder Cancer Treatment
The treatment varies for the different types of bladder cancer and would be more
invasive depending on the type and stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. This
would be discussed with your doctor following consultation but would usually include
intravesical therapy, either with chemotherapy
or immunotherapy which can have a significant effect on reducing
the rate of the cancer progressing to the invasive carcinoma stage.
Who is at risk of Bladder Cancer?
Bladder cancer is more than twice as likely to
effect men than women and 8 in 10 cases appear in those over
the age of 65. Bladder cancer can take 25 years to develop
and is rare in those under the age of 40. In the UK it is estimated that approximately 7% of bladder cancer cases are in men and 2% in women are linked to occupational exposures. (D M Parkin, British Journal of Cancer - December 2011)
Occupations that can be associated to Bladder Cancer
- Petrochemical Industry
- Painters and decorators
- Manufacture of rubber
- Printing Industry (in particular those working with carbon black)
- Dyestuff Industry
- Manufacture of Leather products
- Truck drivers
- Machine setters and operators, metal casters
This list is not by any means exhaustive.
Bladder Cancer's link to aromatic amines was reported in case law in the 1950's.
Aromatic amines are one of many carcinogens (cancer causing substances)
that are widely used in the manufacture of dyes for textiles,
paints, paper, hair dyes, pesticides and antioxidants in the rubber industry.
The petrochemical industry has also been proven as a risk. A petrochemical
is described as any substance derived from petroleum or natural gas.
They are pervasive in modern industry and those exposed could potentially include
the entire workforce. Petroleum can be separated into many components with the
major petrochemicals being: Acetylene, benzene, ethane, ethylene, methane, propane
Petrochemicals are made up of hydrocarbons, these hydrocarbons
are used in many industries such as aviation, automotive and plastic industries.
Two such petrochemical cohorts are Beta-napthylamine (BNA) and Benzadine.
Both are known bladder carcinogens. BNA was previously used in the manufacture of
polyethylene pipe. This chemical was a contaminant in the additive in the resin
used in the manufacture of the pipe and when the resin was heated to a high temperature
the chemical was released. Both of the above carcinogens were banned in the UK by
the Carcinogenic Substances Act 1967, the manufacture of both in the UK had however
ceased many years before this.
A further group of chemicals that have been associated to bladder
cancer are PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). These are used
in industries involving combustion processes, such as coke production, metal
founders and smelting, motor and engine exhausts and roofing and paving.
In 1953 bladder cancer became listed as a "prescribed" industrial disease. A "prescribed"
disease is a disease that is recognised by the government as being linked to a particular
occupation or occupations.
The Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit provides assistance to an employed earner
with a prescribed disease.
Work Related Bladder Cancer
If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer and think that this
is linked to your work you may be entitled to claim
benefit from your local social security. Contact them for a claim
form for the prescribed disease C23 (Bladder Cancer). The general claim
form you will require is BI100B. You will have to meet specific criteria to be eligible.
You should also seek legal advice from a specialist solicitor
with experience of acting for victims of occupational cancer. For further information
call our friendly Helpline Team on 0808 129 3320 or send us an
email using our online enquiry form.