Testing for circulating tumour cells could help predict bladder cancer patients’ prognosis

New research indicates that about one-quarter of patients with bladder cancer treated with radical surgery on curative intent have detectable levels of tumour cells circulating in their blood. The presence of circulating tumour cells was also a predictor of cancer recurrence and death.

The findings suggest that testing for circulating tumour cells in patients with bladder cancer may provide insights on which patients may need to receive aggressive treatment for their disease.

"Liquid biopsies analyzing circulating tumour cells in bladder cancer prior to radical cystectomy may be a promising assessment for selecting patients who may not be cured with surgery alone and thus are candidates for multimodal and emerging targeted therapies," said Dr. Michael Rink, senior author of the BJU International study.