About 83,000 people in the US are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, most with early, non-muscle-invasive disease treated with BCG. Advanced bladder cancer has been transformed since 2023: an antibody-drug conjugate paired with immunotherapy now outperforms chemotherapy at every stage, and a blood test can show who actually needs treatment after surgery.
- 692studies open or running
- 82phase 3 trials
- 4,455papers published this year
- 40NIH-funded projects
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Now
Nov 2026
A new standard for advanced bladder cancerHappened +15.4 mo median survival
Enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab nearly doubled survival over chemotherapy as first treatment.
+15.4 mo: median survival: 31.5 vs 16.1 months.
The same combo works before bladder surgery tooHappened 74.7% event-free at 2 years
For people who cannot have cisplatin, it nearly doubled 2-year event-free survival (74.7% vs 39.4%).
74.7%: event-free at 2 years, vs 39.4% with surgery alone.
A blood test decides who needs chemo after surgeryHappened 9.9 mo disease-free survival
People whose blood stayed free of tumor DNA skipped immunotherapy entirely and still did well; those who tested positive benefited clearly from atezolizumab.
9.9 mo: disease-free survival with atezolizumab, vs 4.8 months with placebo.
A bladder implant clears early-stage tumorsHappened 82.4% complete response
TAR-200, a slow-release gemcitabine device, achieved a complete response in 82% of people who had failed BCG; approved September 2025.
82.4%: complete response rate.
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6 months
by May 2027
TAR-200 tested against BCG itselfPossible
SunRISe-3 (1,135 people) compares TAR-200 with standard BCG in people never treated before; due September 2029.
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12 months
by Nov 2027
Immunotherapy after surgery, without a blood testPossible
AMBASSADOR (739 people) tests pembrolizumab for everyone after bladder removal, not just those who test ctDNA-positive; due January 2027.
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3 years
by late 2029
TAR-200 replaces chemoradiationPossible
SunRISe-2 (518 people) tests TAR-200 with immunotherapy against standard chemoradiation for muscle-invasive disease; due December 2026.
A targeted pill for FGFR-altered tumorsLong shot
Eli Lilly's vepugratinib (450 people) is in phase 3 for urinary tract cancers with an FGFR alteration; due October 2029.
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5 years
by late 2031
Adding a third drug to maintenance therapyLong shot
A National Cancer Institute trial tests adding cabozantinib to avelumab maintenance after first-line chemotherapy.
The research paths
Antibody-drug conjugates
+15.4 mo median survivalDetailsHide
Enfortumab vedotin has become central to treatment at every stage.
WatchUse in even earlier, lower-risk disease.
Bladder-implant devices
82.4% complete responseDetails and 2 trialsHide
Slow-release devices placed directly in the bladder, now moving to earlier use.
WatchSunRISe-2 and -3.
Blood-test-guided treatment
9.9 mo disease-free survivalDetails and 1 trialsHide
Using ctDNA to decide who truly needs immunotherapy after surgery.
WatchWhether AMBASSADOR confirms a benefit for everyone, or ctDNA-guided care becomes standard.
Targeted pills and combinations
Details and 2 trialsHide
Drugs matched to FGFR and other gene changes, and new combinations for maintenance.
WatchFORAGER-2.
Borrowed from other cancers
From Other nectin-4-expressing cancers
Enfortumab vedotin
Approved
An antibody-drug conjugate; nectin-4 is also being explored in other solid tumors.
From Other FGFR-altered cancers
Erdafitinib
Approved
An FGFR inhibitor used across cancers with the same gene change.
Open to join now
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FGFR-altered urinary tract cancer
Vepugratinib
Locations and eligibility →
See every recruiting Bladder cancer trial →
When the trials finish
Completion dates the trials registered. Results usually follow 3 to 12 months later.
- Heating up
- Maturing
- Early
- Cooling
- Fully enrolled, waiting on results
- Still enrolling
What just happened
EV-303: perioperative combo nearly doubles 2-year event-free survival
NEJM.
Blood test guides who needs chemo after surgery
IMvigor011, NEJM.
FDA approves TAR-200 bladder implant
82.4% complete response.
Standard treatment today
- Early (non-muscle-invasive)Removal through the urethra (TURBT), then BCG into the bladder; TAR-200 if BCG fails.
- Muscle-invasive, can have cisplatinChemotherapy before surgery, then bladder removal, then pembrolizumab if high risk.
- Muscle-invasive, cannot have cisplatinEnfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab before and after surgery.
- Advanced or metastaticEnfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab; erdafitinib for FGFR-altered tumors after that.
How to read this page, and sourcesHow to read this page, and sources
- Non-muscle-invasive and advanced/metastatic bladder cancer are treated very differently; results above are organized by stage.
- Forecasts are editorial judgments by Find a Trial, not predictions from sponsors or regulators.
See Bladder cancer trials recruiting now →