Blood test to decide if bladder cancer patients need early chemotherapy

Plain-English translation of NCT06257017 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated April 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

After surgery for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, some patients receive chemotherapy right away to reduce the chance of cancer returning. This trial is testing whether a new blood test that detects cancer cells circulating in your bloodstream can help doctors decide who truly needs early chemotherapy. The goal is to give the right treatment to the right patients at the right time.

Currently, doctors in Hong Kong don't routinely offer chemotherapy after bladder cancer surgery because of concerns about side effects. This new blood test could identify patients at highest risk of cancer returning, so chemotherapy is given only to those who really need it, sparing others from unnecessary treatment.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 18 and 70 years old
you have been diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer that has been surgically removed
you have had surgery to remove your bladder (or ureter) with surrounding lymph nodes within the past few weeks
you are in good enough health to tolerate chemotherapy (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 1 or better)
your recent scans show no cancer remaining and no spread to other parts of your body
your blood work shows your organs are working well enough for chemotherapy

You likely don't qualify if…

you have received cancer treatment within the past 3 weeks
you have a severe kidney problem or hearing loss
you have had another type of cancer within the past 5 years
you are allergic to cisplatin or gemcitabine chemotherapy drugs
you have an active infection, including HIV, hepatitis, or tuberculosis

What participation looks like

You will have blood tests done to check for cancer cells circulating in your blood. Based on those results, you will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group receives chemotherapy immediately after surgery, while the other group is monitored and only receives chemotherapy if scans show cancer returning. You'll have regular clinic visits, blood tests, and imaging scans to monitor your progress over time.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 7, 2026 · Not medical advice

Blood test to decide if bladder cancer patients need early chemotherapy

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)