Wish-List
for Bladder Cancer Research
Each of us with bladder cancer (BC) knows the limitations of knowledge
and
treatments for this unpleasant disease. To focus my thoughts, I
decided to make a wish-list of innovations,
small and great, that could have an impact on diagnosis and treatment
of bladder cancer.
Prevention
- A better knowledge of dietary
factors that affect development of BC. Vitamin E
appears to have an important role that begs further investigation.
- Discovery of lifestyle changes that could prevent BC.
- What could smokers and industrial workers do to reduce
their risk of BC?
Diagnosis
- A completely accurate
diagnostic test.
I was treated for prostate infection for months
before at CT scan revealed that I really had bladder cancer. No
blood in the urine, no positive urine cytology.
- A vital staining reagent
that will reveal all malignant sites during cystoscopy. TUR could
be more effective if the urologist could see all the tumors.
- A test for malignant cells
that have migrated into the prostate. If invasion of the
prostate could be excluded, it would be unnecessary to remove the
prostate for this reason alone during a cystectomy.
Intravesicular Treatments
- How does immunotherapy
with BCG work? This would be the basis for genetic
engineering of BCG. [ notes
]
- Make BCG therapy more
effective. Engineer the DNA of BCG to make immunotherapy more
effective.
- Make BCG therapy safer and
more specific. Engineer the DNA of BCG to make it less
likely to produce a bad reaction or a BCG infection.
- New immunotherapies.
By studying how existing immunotherapies work, design new ones that
are more effective, specific and less painful.
Chemotherapy
- Test alternatives to M-VAC.
Find agents, combinations and treatment regimens that are more
effective and with fewer side effects.
- Develop genetic and
functional tests for sensitivity to chemo agents so patients
aren't treated with agents that aren't going to work.
Contact me if you would like
to add to this wish-list! Critical comments are also welcome.