Evaluation of bladder cancer in opium addicted patients in the Kerman province, Iran, from 1999 to 2003

ABSTRACT

It seems that there may be a relation between opium addiction and bladder cancer. This study has been performed to find this relationship in Kerman province. We evaluated opium addiction in 150 patients with bladder cancer [study group] and150 tumor-free patients [control group] and compared them by two-tailed t-test and X2 test. The rate, duration, amounts and methods of opium abusing in the study group were significantly higher than control group. The results suggest that the carcinogenic effects of opium addiction may be related to the amount, duration and the method of opium abuse