Biomarkers Could Predict Patients’ Response to Bladder Cancer Therapy
Researchers at Northwestern Medicine have identified immune system markers that may help predict who responds to BCG bladder cancer therapy and who does not. The Journal of Clinical Investigation published the findings. The study centers on Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a cancer affecting the bladder lining, and why the therapy fails for some patients. What determines whether BCG succeeds or fails for any given patient has never been fully explained. BCG functions by exposing the body to a weakened form of bacteria, triggering the immune system to mount a response. Despite its long history as a front-line treatment, researchers have remained uncertain about why some patients benefit significantly while others do not.…

