Contemporary controversies in bladder cancer management
During the established format of rapid-fire debates, International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) members from around the globe will present both sides of current issues, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and expertise.
What is the clinical utility of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in pathology and its potential impact on diagnostic accuracy and bladder cancer risk assessment? How does Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy compare to emerging treatment modalities within the content of personalized medicine? What is the optimal treatment sequencing for patients with BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who decline radical cystectomy?
Those are just a few of the hot topics that will be debated during the “AUA-IBCG Bladder Cancer Forum: Common Problems and Controversies in Bladder Cancer” at the 2025 AUA Annual Meeting.
During the established format of rapid-fire debates, International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) members from around the globe will present both sides of a current issue, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and expertise.
“We’ve selected controversial, yet relevant, topics on bladder cancer management that are seen in day-to-day clinical practice. They’re common topics where patients seek definitive answers, but current guidelines offer limited or conflicting solutions,” said Ashish Kamat, MD, IBCG president and professor of urologic oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who will co-chair the forum with Kelly Bree, MD, assistant professor of urology, also with MD Anderson Cancer Center.
In addition to AI, emerging treatment modalities and treatment sequencing for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, other topics on this year’s debate agenda that were the most requested based on attendee feedback at last year’s AUA Annual Meeting, include:
- Standardizing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT): Which factors influence optimal TURBT technique? “The TURBT is paramount in patient management, as it establishes the foundational understanding of the tumor necessary for subsequent treatment decisions,” Dr. Kamat said.
- When is active surveillance in low-grade intermediate-risk bladder cancer appropriate?
- Who is the right patient for trimodal therapy (TMT) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)? This session will feature the president of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), Neha Vapiwala, MD, a radiation oncologist at Penn Medicine, as a featured guest speaker.
- What is the clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in adjuvant therapy decisions and when it is most appropriate?
- Bladder preservation following neoadjuvant chemotherapy: Are bladder preservation protocols ready for widespread clinical adoption in patients exhibiting complete clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy?
Be prepared to gain a comprehensive overview of current controversies and emerging evidence in bladder cancer management and a clear understanding of the pros and cons of different strategies for enhancing clinical decision-making.
“We are now confronted with a veritable abundance of emerging technologies and therapeutic modalities, which, while undoubtedly beneficial, have resulted in a landscape that can be perceived as rather confusing,” Dr. Kamat said. “Navigating that abundance requires clarity, which we hope this session will provide."
