Improving a urine DNA test to check for remaining bladder cancer after chemotherapy

Optimization of urinary DNA deep sequencing tests to enhance clinical staging of bladder cancer patients

['FUNDING_U01'] · RESEARCH INST OF FOX CHASE CAN CTR · NIH-11158934

Improving a urine DNA sequencing test to help people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer find out if cancer remains after neoadjuvant chemotherapy so some may safely avoid bladder removal.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_U01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorRESEARCH INST OF FOX CHASE CAN CTR (nih funded)
Locations1 site (PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11158934 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would provide urine samples so researchers can look for tumor DNA using a test called UTeRD. The team isolates DNA from your urine and uses deep sequencing of a cancer gene panel to detect mutations that match the original tumor. They will compare urine results to surgical pathology after radical cystectomy and work to reduce nondiagnostic samples and increase the test's accuracy. The project focuses on making the test reliable enough to better identify who truly has no remaining cancer after chemotherapy.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who have completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy and are being considered for radical cystectomy would be ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer or those who have not had neoadjuvant chemotherapy are unlikely to benefit from this test.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the test could help some patients avoid radical cystectomy by offering more reliable evidence of complete response after chemotherapy.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work with urine-based mutation detection, including early UTeRD results, has shown promise correlating urine mutations with tumor pathology but has had limited negative predictive value and some nondiagnostic samples.

Where this research is happening

PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Bladder Cancer

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.