New non-invasive bladder cancer test transforms follow-up process

For at least the first two years after treatment, follow-ups tend to be scheduled every three months and then less frequently. Every year, an estimated 76,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed among the American population, and a further 16,000 Americans die as a result of the disease, according to the American Bladder Cancer Society. For the majority of patients who do survive, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is characterized by a high recurrence rate – approximately 70% – and the requirement for frequent follow-ups, generally involving an unpleasant and costly cystoscopy procedure under sedation or general anesthetic.