Role and Efficacy of Current Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer

Dear Colleagues,

Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UBC) is a common urological malignancy with standardized treatment paradigms for non-muscle invasive and muscle-invasive disease. However, UCB is a clinically and genetically highly heterogeneous disease. Genome-wide association studies have demonstrated the importance of genetics, and several susceptibility loci associated with the risk of UBC seem to be important drivers for disease outcomes. Over the past decade, seminal investigations have provided tremendous novel insights into UBC biology. Of foremost significance, phenotypically similar tumors may harbor completely different molecular genotypes, representing the individuality of each tumor and its host. Differences in the molecular landscape of individual tumors probably explain, to some extent, the potential lack and variability of efficacy in local treatments as well as systemic and targeted therapies. Biomarkers represent an elegant but challenging approach to reflecting individual tumor biology and offer great potential for the improvement of UBC treatment.

In this Special Issue, we invite manuscripts dealing with new research findings and advances in blood-based, urine or tissue biomarkers in bladder cancer. Since urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UTUC) is associated with bladder cancer development as well as intravesical recurrences, articles on UTUC biomarkers investigating bladder cancer incidence or recurrence are also invited. Both original research and review articles are warmly welcomed. Reviews should provide an up-to-date overview of the current state of the art and critically discuss the current clinical implications as well as future perspectives of UCB tumor biology and biomarkers. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• The reflection of intra- and interindividual tumor heterogeneity;
• The association of biomarkers with UCB tumor biology and aggressiveness;
• The association of UCB biomarkers with disease recurrence or outcomes;
• The immune environment and/or microenvironment at tumor sites and/or at a systemic level;
• Circulating blood-based or urine biomarkers predictive for therapy response and treatment monitoring;
• Marker-based decision making for multimodal treatment approaches.

Please feel free to contact us and send us any suggestions that you would like to discuss beforehand. We look forward to and welcome your participation in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Michael Rink
Guest Editor
Dr. Armin Soave
Co-Guest Editor

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