Studies Uncover Hidden Urologic Risks—How Water, Chemicals and Everyday Exposures Impact Urinary Health

/EIN News/ -- LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Groundbreaking research presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Las Vegas is shining a spotlight on the hidden environmental factors influencing urinary health.

New studies reveal compelling links between local water quality and kidney stone burden, investigate the impact of electronic cigarette use on urinary carcinogen levels and explore associations between urologic cancers and exposures to microplastics, PFAS chemicals and arsenic in drinking water. Together, these findings underscore the urgent need to better understand how everyday environmental exposures may contribute to the risk of developing kidney stones and urologic cancers.

Researchers will present their study findings covering important updates on toxins  from April 26 to 29. Brian Inouye, MD, a reconstructive urologist at Albany Medical Health System, posed in-depth questions to the abstract authors, providing key insights into their research. 

“Urologists spend a lot of time treating and understanding why people get urologic cancers,” Dr. Inouye said. “For example, we know there is an association between smoking cigarettes and bladder cancer, which is why we encourage all our smoking patients to do their best to stop. However, there are many carcinogens that are in our everyday environment. These five studies examine if there are other toxins that we may unknowingly encounter in our society that may also increase our chance of having a urologic cancer.”

The following abstracts are spotlighted in the AUA Press Program:

• “It’s in the water”: Linking increased kidney stone burden to local water quality by census tract
• Urinary Carcinogen Concentrations in Electronic Cigarette Users Compared to Cigarette Smokers, Dual Users and Non-Smokers: Findings from the PATH Study
• Bladder Cancer Incidence and Plastics-Processing Waste Release in Ohio: Are Microplastics a Novel Risk Factor?
• Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Exposure and Urological Cancer Risk
• What’s in our Water? Impact of Arsenic Levels in Drinking Water with Incident Urologic Cancers in Washington State

A recording of the key findings from the abstract authors is available to all press registrants. Fill out the registration form on the website to be added to the virtual programming: https://www.auanet.org/AUA2025/register/press-registration

NOTE TO REPORTERS: Presenting authors and moderators are available to discuss their findings. To arrange an interview with an expert, please contact the AUA Communications Team at Communications@AUAnet.org.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology and has nearly 26,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

Corey Del Bianco
                    American Urological Association
                    443-689-4033
                    cdelbianco@auanet.org