VIENNA, Sept. 18 -- Smoking is a harmful habit that causes a number of urological diseases that few people are aware of, experts said Thursday.

Reduced fertility, impotence, and bladder carcinoma are problems caused by smoking, the Association of Austrian Urologists (BVU) said.

However, few people are aware of the fact that only 13 percent of respondents said they know smoking has an impact on the urinary bladder, according to a recent survey carried out by the association.

"Smoking is the most important preventable risk factor for many diseases" said Shahrokh F. Shariat from the Urology Clinic at the Medical University of Vienna.

One in four cancer patients has urologic diseases in Austria. To stop smoking even after a positive cancer diagnosis can lead to an improvement, according to experts from the BVU.