Recent advances in the management of bladder cancer

Abstract

Bladder cancer is the commonest malignancy of the urinary tract. Various alternatives have been investigated, either to reduce the frequency of cystoscopy, or improve its sensitivity for detection of tumors. These include urine-based markers, Narrow-band imaging and photodynamic diagnosis/blue-light cystoscopy. Recent developments in post-resection intravesical regimens for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer are discussed. For patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, both laparoscopic radical cystectomy and robot-assisted radical cystectomy have been shown to reduce peri-operative morbidity, while being oncologically equivalent to open radical cystectomy. Bladder-preserving strategies entail resection and chemoradiation, and in selected patients give equivalent results to surgery. These newer approaches are also discussed Keywords: bladder cancer; urine-based markers; Narrow-band imaging; photodynamic diagnosis