Common vision issue could lead to missed cancer warning, study finds

Colorblind bladder cancer patients have a 52% higher mortality risk, a Stanford study finds.(iStock)

In the latest study, published in the journal Nature Health, researchers analyzedhealth recordsand found that bladder cancer patients who are also colorblind have a 52% higher mortality rate over 20 years than those patients with normal vision.

Since colorblind people fail to recognize blood in their urine, they may be delayed in seeking care, which can lead to worse outcomes, the findings suggest.Bladder cancer is about four times more common among men than women.

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Senior study author Ehsan Rahimy, M.D., adjunct clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at Stanford Medicine, commented in a press release that he’s “hopeful this study raises some awareness, not only for patients with colorblindness, but for our colleagues who see these patients.”

“Colorblindness doesn’t cause bladder cancer, but it may make the earliest warning sign easier to miss.”

Dr.Douglas Lazzaro, a professor in NYU Langone’s Department of Ophthalmology, said the inability to recognize the color red in this scenario is a “real risk.”

“The patient, family and medical doctor should be made aware of this potential gap in diagnosis,�“It is important to raise awareness of potential issues in making the diagnosis of bladder or kidney cancer incolorblind individuals.”

A graphic to test colorblindness is shown.Red-green colorblindness is the most common form.(iStock)

“My guess is that many doctors may not be looking closely enough at the medical record to pick up on this eye problem, leading to delays in diagnosis as the patient may not be able to see the issue,” he added.

While the issue may not be completely avoidable, Lazzaro suggested that it could be prevented if colorblind patients are aware of the risk andinform their doctorsof their vision limitation.

“The takeaway is simple: Don’t rely on color alone to detect a problem.Bladder cancer can present as painless bleeding, and if you ever suspect blood in your urine, you shouldalert your doctor.”

One doctor said this study is a reminder to tailor health guidance to “real-world differences” that are often seen as “small details.”(iStock)

Railsback, who was not part of the research, added that if the color of urine looks “off” — for example, is tea-colored or unusually dark — the patient should be checked “promptly.”

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“This study is a strong reminder to tailor health guidance to real-world differences and variations, including color vision,” he said.

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For colorblind individuals, Railsback recommends asking their primary care physician for a urine test at annual visits.If something seems unusual, they should ask a spouse or partner.

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“Colorblindness doesn’t cause bladder cancer, but it may make the earliest warning sign easier to miss,” he said.“The fix isawareness and simple testing, not fear.”