Bladder cancer

Research

Doctors and scientists from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and UW Medicine are testing new treatments for bladder cancer and other cancers of the urinary tract and discovering new ways to use current treatments. 

Through this work, we are looking for answers to three main questions: How can we do even better at detecting these cancers early? How can we make treatments safer and more effective? How can we make treatments easier on patients?

We have been part of, and led, many clinical trials of promising therapies that later became the standard of care.

Standard care A treatment or other intervention currently being used and considered to be of proven effectiveness based on past studies.

Clinical trials

We have many clinical trials testing a variety of approaches for bladder and other urothelial cancers. Some of the therapies we are studying are:

  • New immunotherapies
  • New targeted therapies
  • Different combinations of treatments for people with different types and stages of disease
  • Nutrition therapy to improve surgery outcomes 

When your care team designs your treatment plan, they will give you the choice to join clinical trials that match your situation. If you decide to join one, you will see the same doctors and nurses as you would for standard therapy.

Your care team will talk with you about if you might want to join a study and why. This can help you make the decision that is best for you.
 

Standard care A treatment or other intervention currently being used and considered to be of proven effectiveness based on past studies. Treatment plan A detailed plan with information about a patient’s disease, the goal of treatment, the treatment options for the disease and the possible side effects and expected length of treatment. A detailed plan with information about a patient’s disease, the goal of treatment, the treatment options for the disease and the possible side effects and expected length of treatment. A treatment plan may also include information about how much the treatment is likely to cost and about regular follow-up care after treatment ends.

Featured Stories

Research Highlights

Updates in Bladder and Urinary Tract Cancers for Patients and Their Loved Ones 

Each year, our experts in bladder and urinary tract cancers hold a special event to share the latest information about treating and living with these diseases. Watch a recording of our March 5, 2022, event featuring more than a dozen doctors, nurses and researchers to learn about important options for your care.

The Benefits of Multidisciplinary Care in Bladder Cancer

Research shows that team-based care is important for people with bladder cancer who need more than one type of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Drs. Jonathan Wright and Petros Grivas explain how this approach works at Fred Hutch’s Bladder Cancer Multispecialty Clinic in an OncLive On Air podcast.
 

Chemotherapy Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It may be given alone or with other treatments. Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biologic therapy. Radiation therapy The use of high-energy radiation from X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body.

Expanding Armamentarium Underscores the Importance of Close Monitoring in Urothelial Cancer

As more therapies become available, patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer are living longer and doing better. Their doctors should check often for signs that the disease may be worsening, says Dr. Evan Yu. This gives them the opportunity to switch to a different therapy that could have good results.
 

Metastatic A metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread to other areas of the body by way of the lymph system or bloodstream. Sign In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. Some examples of signs are fever, swelling, skin rash, high blood pressure and high blood glucose.

RCC/Bladder Cancer Webinar

In this 2021 webinar for health care providers, Fred Hutch’s Drs. Petros Grivas and Evan Yu explain the latest research on how to treat metastatic urothelial cancer, including bladder cancer. They share some of the most interesting recent advances in controlling the disease and improving patients’ survival and quality of life.
 

Metastatic A metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread to other areas of the body by way of the lymph system or bloodstream.
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