Blood test to monitor bladder-preserving treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Blood-based monitoring of bladder-sparing trimodality therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer
This project will use blood tests to see if cancer cells or tumor DNA in the blood can help guide and monitor bladder-preserving treatment for people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144446 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have muscle-invasive bladder cancer and choose bladder-sparing trimodality therapy (removal of the visible tumor followed by chemotherapy and radiation), doctors would collect blood and tumor samples over time to look for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and molecular changes. The team will use microfluidic methods to isolate CTCs and compare their molecular profiles to the original tumor to find signatures linked to response or resistance. They will track how those signatures evolve after treatment to spot early signs of recurrence. The approach aims to provide a noninvasive, repeatable way to personalize follow-up and decide who may need salvage surgery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing bladder-sparing trimodality therapy (TURBT followed by chemoradiation) who can provide blood samples and tumor tissue are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients already scheduled for immediate radical cystectomy, those with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer, or those unable or unwilling to give blood or tumor samples may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, blood-based biomarkers could help identify patients likely to do well with bladder-sparing therapy and detect recurrences earlier without invasive procedures.
How similar studies have performed: Blood-based tumor markers like circulating tumor cells and tumor DNA have shown promise in other cancers, but using CTC molecular signatures specifically to guide and monitor bladder-sparing TMT is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miyamoto, David T. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Miyamoto, David T.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.