A Review of the Association of Bladder and Prostate Cancers with Schistosoma Species

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is an infection caused by the deposition of large male and female worms (trematodes) in the bladder veins. Infection caused by this trematode is also known as bilharziasis. The disease has been or continues to be present in African countries and some Asian countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, southern Portugal, Greece, and especially Egypt. The entry of Schistosoma haematobium heads into the skin begins with local symptoms, known as swimmers itch, and is more common in people who are in some form of contact with ambient water. The infection affects the kidneys, ureters, bladder and genitals. In endemic geographical areas, schistosomiasis has been implicated as an etiological factor in the pathogenesis of bladder, colon and kidney cancers, especially bladder cancer occurring in such geographical locations almost two decades earlier than in non-native areas. The urinary type of this disease can also cause prostate cancer. Material and Methodes: In this study, the websites of PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase were searched and related articles were reviewed. Results:  In this study, the effects of host endocrine system, hormonal imbalance caused by schistosomiasis, as well as the effect of epigenetic changes in the host genome on this parasitic infection and its association with bladder cancer were investigated. The association of schistosome egg soluble antigens with prostate carcinogenesis was also noted. Conclusion: Studies show that schistosomiasis can lead to bladder cancer. But there was not adequate evidence available for prostate cancer and this parasitic infection.