Improving care for advanced bladder cancer
Official title: BCCMA: Translational research to improve the care of advanced bladder cancer
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11098531 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for better ways to treat advanced bladder cancer by improving current treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, so patients can have a better chance of recovery and a better quality of life, especially for those who may need surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006074-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098531 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer who are seeking new treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage bladder cancer or those who are not diagnosed with bladder cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance treatment outcomes for patients with advanced bladder cancer by optimizing existing therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. The collaborative effort involves three specialized research teams that will explore innovative approaches, such as using non-toxic oral compounds to combat chemoresistance and developing a new immunotherapy platform. By integrating expertise from basic science to clinical applications, the project seeks to improve both prognosis and quality of life for patients. The research will also investigate how these optimized therapies can enhance surgical outcomes for patients undergoing radical cystectomy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment options and improved quality of life for patients with advanced bladder cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in optimizing cancer therapies, suggesting that this approach could lead to significant advancements in treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferguson, James E — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ferguson, James E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Population modeling to reduce bladder cancer burden
Aimed at predicting and guiding effective, population-based ways to prevent and control bladder cancer.
-
Blocking a new immune checkpoint in bladder cancer
Researchers are trying medicines that block a newly found immune pathway to help people with bladder cancer, especially those whose tumors do not respond to current immunotherapy.
-
Nrf2 in T cells and how it could boost immune power against bladder cancer
A small grant will explore how a T-cell protein called Nrf2 affects muscle-invasive bladder cancer and whether targeting it could help patients respond better to immune therapies.
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Understanding why bladder cancer spreads and resists treatment
This grant studies how advanced bladder cancer changes and spreads across the body, aiming to uncover why it’s hard to treat.
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Molecular clues to bladder cancer cell changes and therapy response
This NIH grant looks at how bladder cancer cells change their identity and how that affects response to treatment, with a focus on aggressive neuroendocrine variants.
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Repurposing spironolactone to treat bladder cancer inside the bladder
Aims to repurpose spironolactone as an intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer to help prevent recurrence and progression.
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.