Abstract

Mild Dehydration - Possible Association with Bladder and Colorectal Cancers - A Review

Daniel Benharroch and Samuel Ariad

Background: The role of water consumption/dehydration in cancer has not been fully clarified to date.

Objective: Review the role of water in bladder and colorectal cancers.

Methods: A critical review of the literature was performed, including urinary tract infection and constipation together with bladder and colorectal cancers relation to water ingestion.

Results: Numerous inconsistencies were found and their causes include, among others, the incapacity to adequately measure water intake, the lack of matching of low fluid intake with mild dehydration, the multifactorial nature of the evaluated diseases, and changing methods of investigation.

Conclusions: Notwithstanding the technical and clinical limitations, there is some support for the contribution of dehydration to the pathogenesis of the diseases described.