EAU26 session highlights urinary incontinence in bladder cancer and launches new Urge to Act policy report

At the European Association of Urology Congress 2026 (EAU26), the session “Living with urinary incontinence as a comorbidity: patient perspectives” explored an important but often overlooked issue for people affected by bladder cancer: urinary continence and its impact on everyday life.

Urinary incontinence can occur as a result of the disease itself or as a consequence of treatments such as surgery or urinary reconstruction. While the focus of care is often on treating the cancer, these long-term effects can significantly influence how people live with their bodies after treatment.

As highlighted during the session by Alex Filicevas, our Executive Director, continence issues are often difficult for patients to discuss openly.

For many people living with bladder cancer, urinary incontinence is not simply a clinical side effect. It can affect daily routines, emotional wellbeing and social participation. Patients often describe the practical adjustments they must make after treatment, such as worrying about leakage, planning activities around access to toilets, or feeling anxious about travelling, working or socialising.

The discussion also highlighted the stigma surrounding continence problems. Because bladder cancer affects intimate bodily functions, many patients feel uncomfortable raising these concerns with healthcare professionals or even with their families.

During the session, a new policy report titled “Coexisting Conditions: Urinary Incontinence as a Non-Communicable Disease Comorbidity” was also launched as part of the Urge to Act initiative, led by the European Association of Urology Policy Office.

The report highlights that urinary incontinence rarely occurs in isolation. Its onset, severity and treatment outcomes are often influenced by other health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, diabetes, mental health conditions and cancer.

Across Europe, an estimated 55–60 million people live with continence health issues, yet these conditions remain largely overlooked in healthcare systems and public policy despite their significant impact on quality of life and healthcare costs.

The report calls for stronger policy attention to continence health and proposes a “continence health in all policies” approach, recognising urinary incontinence as a cross-cutting issue that affects many chronic diseases and survivorship outcomes.

From a patient advocacy perspective, several priorities were highlighted during the discussion:

•  Including continence outcomes in shared decision-making when discussing treatment options
•  Providing better information and peer support so patients know they are not alone
•  Recognising continence management as part of cancer survivorship care
•  Increasing policy attention to continence health across chronic diseases

Addressing urinary continence is essential to improving the quality of life for people living with and beyond bladder cancer. Initiatives such as Urge to Act aim to encourage more open conversations about continence and ensure this important aspect of survivorship receives the attention it deserves.