See: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_bladder_cancer_44.asp?sitearea=

My brother had BC - 6 yr survivor with neo - I had BC (2 yrs 8 month survivor)
Neither parent had BC - both parents smoked, brother and I both smoked - I quit 20 yrs ago.
Lived in steel town for 60 yrs.

I had it (1 year survivor)
Dad died from it
Dad's dad died from it.

My parents didn't smoke and I don't either, nor does my husband, but my brother and nephew both smoked, My brother quit when he found out . I don't if my nephew has quit or not. Rocky

Time magazine had a great article in the January 2010 issue that talked about our "Epigenetics"

It talked about the fact that we may not do anything to develop a cancer, but our parents may have and therefore passed that down to us in our genes.

When I read the post from Pemquid and her father, it made me think of the article and I will need to pull that back out again.

Title is: Why genes aren't destiny. Summary says that the new field of epigenetics is showing how your environment and your choices can influence your genetic code--and then that of your kids.

My dad had bladder cancer, but he was an older male smoker (typical profile); I was diagnosed with bladder cancer at a younger age than he had been, and I've never smoked but was exposed to a lot of second-hand smoke growing up with 2 smoking parents in a small NYC apartment. Dad lived to be 84 and died of lung cancer unrelated to the bladder cancer (though of course smoking was a common denominator in both).

Ann