PhD Defense: Translational Bladder Cancer Research
From disease discovery to personalized therapy stratification with patient-derived organoids, a PhD defense was conducted by Viergever (Faculteit Medische Wetenschappen / LAB).
Bladder cancer is a common form of cancer, with over 610,000 new cases worldwide in 2022, primarily affecting men, making it the sixth most common cancer in men. The primary risk factor is smoking, with a common symptom being painless blood in the urine.
Types of Bladder Cancer
- Non-muscle-invasive
- Muscle-invasive
- Metastatic bladder cancer
Treatments for bladder cancer include chemotherapy and immunotherapy, but patient responses vary due to the genetic complexity and rapid mutation of the disease.
This research explores new methods to study and treat bladder cancer using organoids, small 3D models of tumours that resemble the original tumour, to better understand tumour responses to treatments.
Author's summary: Research on bladder cancer treatment using patient-derived organoids.