NEW DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT FOR SUPERFICIAL BLADDER CANCER

Phase I Drug Trial Using Gemcitibine
Intra vesical Gemcitibine therapy for BCG refractory superficial bladder cancer

Superficial bladder cancer remains the most common form of bladder cancer encountered in the United States. Over 75% of patients with bladder cancer have the superficial form of the disease and require long term therapy and monitoring.

One of the mainstays of therapy for patients with superficial bladder cancer who suffer multiple relapses or who have high grade tumors with or without invasion of the bladder lining or carcinoma in situ is the use of intra vesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Since it's introduction in the 1970s Bacille Calmet-Guerin has consistently provided the best control of relapse and some believe progression in patient with high risk bladder cancers. Other agents with slightly less efficacy but substantially fewer side effects such as Mitomycin C have also been used with good effect in many patients.

New drugs are needed however because even the best therapy available drugs today only provide a 30-50% chance of long term disease control.

The Bladder Cancer Research Center has a strong investigational interest in new agents to treat superficial bladder cancer. In the past 2 years, two novel agents (Taxol and Gemcitibine) have been studied in patient with chronically relapsing low grade superficial disease. The Gemcitibine trial is still accepting patients. Additional agents will be introduced in the coming year.