Urine testing as a less invasive follow-up for early bladder cancer
Official title: Replacing Invasive Cystoscopy with Urine Testing for Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Surveillance
Funded at Veterans Education/res/assn/north/ne · NIH-11142415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares urine-based tests with routine cystoscopy for people being monitored after early-stage (non-muscle invasive) bladder cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Education/res/assn/north/ne NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (White River Junction, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $332,897 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA275916-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with a history of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer who are undergoing routine surveillance after transurethral resection would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with muscle-invasive disease, those requiring immediate diagnostic cystoscopy, or newly diagnosed untreated tumors are unlikely to benefit from urine-only surveillance.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use two urine tests (Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor, an mRNA test, and Bladder EpiCheck, a DNA methylation test) to see if they can replace some routine cystoscopies. You would provide urine samples on a regular schedule while doctors track cancer recurrence and other outcomes over time. The team will compare how often the urine tests detect cancers and how often they give false positives that lead to additional procedures. The aim is to reduce uncomfortable cystoscopy visits while keeping cancer control the same.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce the number of invasive cystoscopies, lower discomfort and anxiety, and simplify long-term follow-up for bladder cancer survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Early studies show these urine tests have high sensitivity but only moderate specificity, so the approach is promising but not yet proven to safely replace cystoscopy.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Education/res/assn/north/ne
White River Junction, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schroeck, Florian R — Veterans Education/res/assn/north/ne
- Study coordinator: Schroeck, Florian R
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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.