In a recent study published in the journal Cancer Cell, researchers have used genomic analysis to identify new subtypes of bladder cancer, which could lead to improved treatments for patients.
Bladder cancer is a common cancer that affects the lining of the bladder. It is the sixth most common cancer in the United States, with an estimated 83,000 new cases and 17,000 deaths in 2021. Currently, bladder cancer is treated based on the stage and grade of the cancer, as well as other factors such as the patient’s age and overall health.
However, researchers have long suspected that bladder cancer is not one disease, but rather a group of diseases with different underlying causes and genetic mutations. To explore this idea, the researchers in this study performed a comprehensive genomic analysis of 308 bladder cancer samples.
The researchers identified five distinct subtypes of bladder cancer based on the genetic mutations present in the tumor cells. One of these subtypes, which they named “p53-like,” was particularly interesting because it had a high mutation rate and was associated with poor outcomes for patients.
“We found that the p53-like subtype was characterized by a high mutation rate and genomic instability, which may explain why these tumors are more aggressive and resistant to therapy,” said lead author Dr. David Solit, Director of the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
The researchers also found that the different subtypes of bladder cancer were associated with different signaling pathways and cellular processes. For example, the “neuroendocrine-like” subtype was associated with the development of nerve cells, while the “basal-like” subtype was associated with the development of the basal layer of cells that line the bladder.
While the study did not directly lead to any new treatments for bladder cancer, the researchers say that their findings could help guide the development of new therapies in the future.
“This study provides a hypothesis-generating dataset that will need further validation, but it gives us a starting point for developing new therapies that target the unique genetic features of each subtype,” said senior author Dr. Dean Bajorin, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Overall, this study provides important new insights into the genetics of bladder cancer and highlights the need for more personalized approaches to cancer treatment.
In conclusion, this study has identified new subtypes of bladder cancer through genomic analysis, which could lead to improved treatments for patients. Further research is needed to validate these findings and develop new therapies that target the unique genetic features of each subtype.
