Written By: Muskan Gupta | Published : May 18, 2026 8:56 PM IST
A new study suggests that people with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a short span of time might require more than the usual treatment. UTIs that happen more than six times a year may be a potential early sign of bladder cancer, particularly in older people.
UTIs, which are infections of the urinary system (bladder and urethra), are frequent infections. Typically, symptoms consist of burning on urination, increased urgency to urinate, lower abdominal pain, cloudy urine, or fever. Most UTIs are bacterial and will resolve with antibiotic treatment, but recurrent UTIs warrant attention.
The study, known as Defining recurrent urinary tract infections and quantifying bladder cancer risk in primary care in England: a nationwide case control study, was published in The Lancet journal, The Lancet Primary Care, in February 2026. The researchers studied details of health care for more than 53,000 patients in England and determined that recurrent UTIs in six months were strongly associated with increased bladder cancer risk.
Additionally, the study demonstrated that the strongest correlation was in the first 6 months following the report of recurrent UTIs. The link may be due to frequent inflammation or to some undiscovered cancer manifestation that is confused for a UTI, researchers say.
Bladder cancer risk
Bladder cancer sometimes mimics a urinary tract infection (UTI), according to doctors. Symptoms of infection may overlap with blood in urine, pain when urinating, urgency and frequent urination. Due to this, a few cases of cancer may be initially treated as simple UTIs and thus delaying the diagnosis.
This does not indicate that all people with recurrent UTIs are cancer patients, experts say. Recurrent infections can occur due to many reasons such as inadequate fluid intake, diabetes, kidney stones, menopause, enlarged prostate, weakened immune system, or difficulty emptying the bladder. Recurrent UTIs are also more common in females because of anatomical differences.
Treatment is recommended if infections are recurring, though, doctors say, a medical evaluation is advised. Symptoms that should prompt urgent evaluation are blood in the urine, unexplained weight loss, persistent pelvic pain, fever, fatigue, or recurrent UTIs which are not responding to treatment with antibiotics.
Doctors recommend avoiding long periods of urine retention, proper hygiene, drinking plenty of fluids and seeking timely medical attention for UTI symptoms to reduce the risk of UTI. Those with repeated infections might also need urine cultures, imaging tests or special consultations for more serious infections.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional if you experience recurrent UTIs, blood in urine, or persistent urinary symptoms.
