Latest developments in bladder cancer research

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2025 continued on Public Day in Brussels with a session exploring the latest developments in bladder cancer research, featuring insights from two leading experts, Dr Ashish M. Kamat, Chair of the WBCPC Scientific Advisory Board and Professor of Urologic Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Prof. Hendrik Van Poppel, Policy Office Chair at the European Association of Urology.

Joining virtually from Houston, Dr Kamat presented a comprehensive overview of the most recent scientific advances in bladder cancer care. He focused on how treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is evolving rapidly through multidisciplinary and personalised approaches. Highlighting global data showing more than 614,000 new cases and 220,000 deaths annually, he stressed the urgent need for earlier diagnosis, equitable access to innovative therapies, and continued investment in research.

Dr Kamat outlined major progress in systemic therapies, including immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, which have shown improved disease-free survival in high-risk patients following surgery. He also presented data from the Niagara study, the first to demonstrate the survival benefits of combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy before cystectomy. These developments, he explained, mark a shift toward treatment strategies that can both extend survival and improve quality of life.

He also pointed to the growing potential of liquid biopsies and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in predicting recurrence and guiding therapy decisions, as well as emerging research on organ preservation for patients achieving complete response to systemic treatment. “Our goal,” he said, “is to move from a one-size-fits-all approach to truly personalised bladder cancer care, improving survival while reducing the need for radical surgery wherever possible.”

In his presentation, Prof. Hendrik Van Poppel complemented Dr Kamat’s global research perspective with clinical insights from European practice. He reminded attendees that while 80% of bladder cancers are non-muscle-invasive, the disease remains as lethal as lung or pancreatic cancer when not detected or treated early. He emphasised the importance of primary and secondary prevention, including tobacco control, occupational safety, and better recognition of early warning signs such as blood in the urine.

Prof. Van Poppel also underscored the need to centralise bladder cancer surgery in specialised, high-volume centres to ensure better outcomes and reduce complications. He noted that minimally invasive surgical techniques and bladder reconstruction methods have dramatically improved recovery times, with hospital stays now reduced from weeks to just days.

Both experts agreed that progress in bladder cancer care depends on multidisciplinary collaboration, improved access to clinical trials, and continued efforts to raise awareness and funding. As Prof. Van Poppel concluded, “We can do better than what we have today, through prevention, centralised care, and by ensuring every patient benefits from the latest scientific advances.”