Urology

American bladder cancer scientists have been awarded the prestigious R01 grant, together with urologist Dr. Tahlita Zuiverloon of the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute. The team will receive $3 million for research into the biology of chemotherapy resistance in bladder cancer.

A blood test can help to predict whether immunotherapy will be effective in patients with metastatic bladder cancer. This is evident from research by internist-oncologist Debbie Robbrecht from the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute.

A proportion of patients with difficult-to-treat non-metastatic bladder cancer benefit from immunotherapy with the drug pembrolizumab. This has been shown by international research, which Erasmus MC Cancer Institute co-led. Annually, researchers estimate this new therapy could save about 50 patients in the Netherlands from having their bladder removed.