Bladder Cancer in Canada
Bladder cancer is the 5th most common cancer in Canada. ~13,000 Canadians were diagnosed with bladder cancer this year, and around 2,500 have died from the disease.
75% of bladder cancer diagnoses are non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Patients with NMIBC undergo years of repeat treatments procedures, and surveillance. The burden that this disease has on their quality of life cannot be understated.
Bladder cancer management is the most expensive per case in Canada. It costs the Canadian health system about $83,000 per patient.
Despite this burden, bladder cancer is severely underfunded. It currently ranks 21st of 24 cancers in national research funding.
Risk Factors
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SMOKING
Harmful chemicals in tobacco are filtered by the kidneys and stored in the bladder, where they can damage the bladder lining.
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AGING
Bladder cancer risk increases as the bladder is exposed to more cell damage over time.
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CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
Repeated irritation and immune responses can damage the bladder lining and lead to abnormal cell growth.
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MALE SEX
Male sex increases bladder cancer risk due to higher level of androgens (ex. testosterone) and differences in eliminating carcinogens.
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ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
Harmful chemicals such as those in dyes, rubber, leather, and petroleum products can collect in the bladder and damage the lining.
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OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES
Workers in industries where harmful chemicals are involved are at an increased risk of developing bladder cancer.
NMIBC & Treatment
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NMIBC is confined to the inner lining of the bladder. While often not immediately life threatening, it has high reoccurrence rates and can progress to more aggressive forms.
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Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is the standard treatment for NMIBC patients with high-risk of recurrence and tumour progression.
This therapy was first developed and applied in here in Kingston, Ontario.
Despite its great success, some patients don’t respond to BCG and face limited treatment options, including radical surgery (removal of the bladder).
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QBCG is currently working on developing newer blood and tumour tissue based biomarkers and therapies to compliment the success of BCG therapy.
Challenges in Bladder Cancer Treatment
High recurrence and progression rates
BCG-unresponsive NMIBC has limited treatment options
Need for innovation in diagnosis, therapy, and delivery of care