Cannabis abuse/dependence linked to higher rates of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer
A large US claims database analysis found that men with cannabis abuse or dependence diagnoses had significantly elevated risks of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer compared to matched controls.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After propensity matching on demographics, tobacco use, and cancer risk factors, cannabis abuse/dependence was associated with 4.21-fold increased risk of bladder cancer, 3.70-fold increased risk of kidney cancer, and 2.80-fold increased risk of prostate cancer.
Key Numbers
Bladder cancer: 0.14% vs 0.03% (RR 4.21, 95% CI 2.70-6.57). Kidney cancer: 0.17% vs 0.05% (RR 3.70, 95% CI 2.52-5.43). Prostate cancer: 0.61% vs 0.22% (RR 2.80, 95% CI 2.19-3.58). No significant association for upper tract, testis, or penile cancer.
How They Did This
Researchers used the TriNetX database to identify US adults from 2004 to 2024 with or without cannabis abuse/dependence diagnoses. After excluding those with prior urologic cancers, 74,642 cannabis-diagnosed patients were matched against controls on demographics, tobacco use, nicotine dependence, substance-related disorders, and cancer-specific risk factors.
Why This Research Matters
Cannabis smoke contains many of the same carcinogens as tobacco smoke, yet the relationship between cannabis and urologic cancers has been poorly studied. This population-scale analysis provides the first large matched comparison for multiple urologic malignancies.
The Bigger Picture
While relative risks are notably elevated, absolute cancer rates remain low in both groups. The study matched on tobacco use and other substance disorders, but unmeasured confounders including cannabis consumption method and dose remain problematic. These findings add to a growing body of evidence that inhaled cannabis may carry cancer risks similar to tobacco.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Claims-based diagnoses cannot distinguish smoking from other consumption methods. Cannabis abuse/dependence codes likely capture the heaviest users, so results may not apply to occasional use. Residual confounding from unmeasured lifestyle factors is possible. Rare cancers like testicular and penile cancer may lack statistical power to detect associations.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would the cancer associations hold for non-smoked cannabis consumption methods like edibles or vaporizers?
- ?Is there a dose-response relationship?
- ?Are specific cannabinoids protective or harmful, or is the risk driven by combustion byproducts?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 4.21x higher risk of bladder cancer among those with cannabis abuse/dependence diagnoses
- Evidence Grade:
- Large propensity-matched retrospective cohort from a national database, though limited by inability to assess consumption method or dose-response.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025, using claims data from 2004 to 2024.
- Original Title:
- A population-level analysis on the association of cannabis use and urologic cancers.
- Published In:
- Urologic oncology, 43(10), 598.e11-598.e16 (2025)
- Authors:
- Davis, Ryan J, Hershenhouse, Jacob(2), Gallagher, Tyler J, Sabharwal, Navin, Daneshvar, Michael A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06306
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis definitely cause these cancers?
This study found a statistical association, not proof of causation. While the risk ratios are large and the study controlled for tobacco use, claims data cannot rule out all confounding factors.
Were edible or vaporizer users included?
The study could not distinguish between consumption methods. Cannabis abuse/dependence diagnoses likely capture a mix, though smoking is the most common method among heavy users.
Why were testicular and penile cancers not significant?
These are relatively rare cancers, so the study may not have had enough cases to detect an association even if one exists.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06306APA
Davis, Ryan J; Hershenhouse, Jacob; Gallagher, Tyler J; Sabharwal, Navin; Daneshvar, Michael A. (2025). A population-level analysis on the association of cannabis use and urologic cancers.. Urologic oncology, 43(10), 598.e11-598.e16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2025.05.010
MLA
Davis, Ryan J, et al. "A population-level analysis on the association of cannabis use and urologic cancers.." Urologic oncology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2025.05.010
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A population-level analysis on the association of cannabis u..." RTHC-06306. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/davis-2025-a-populationlevel-analysis-on
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.