Stanford University researchers develop new bladder cancer urine test

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new urine test designed to improve the treatment of bladder cancer by detecting residual tumor DNA. The study, published in the journal Cell, aims to provide more targeted therapies for patients, particularly those with non-muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma, which accounts for 75 percent of cases.

Bladder cancer is characterized by high recurrence rates. While intravesical immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the standard treatment to reduce relapses, not all patients respond effectively to it. The new test can identify patients early on if immunotherapy has failed to eliminate remaining tumor DNA.

Professor Max Diehn, one of the study's lead authors, noted that the test addresses the ‘field effect,’ where somatic mutations exist in bladder cells that appear healthy but have been in contact with the tumor, increasing the risk of recurrence after surgical procedures.