Joint research step - Bavaria and Austria investigate innovative therapies for bladder cancer for the first time

The Bavarian Center for Cancer Research (BZKF) with the six Bavarian university hospitals and the Austrian Comprehensive Cancer Network (ACCN), consisting of the Medical Universities of Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck - are launching a joint study to research new therapies for urothelial carcinoma, an aggressive form of bladder cancer. The research project examines certain biological characteristics (biomarkers) in order to bring research into the treatment of patients more quickly. Both existing data and new information from current studies are being used for this purpose.

The treatment of muscle-invasive and metastatic urothelial carcinoma has changed dramatically in recent years. This comparatively common disease continues to place a heavy burden on those affected and is associated with a high risk of death. The aim of this project is to gain a much better understanding of why certain bladder cancer patients do not fully respond to modern chemotherapy and immunotherapy - and which therapeutic alternatives would be more suitable for patients with a poor response. To this end, the researchers are investigating which therapy-resistant tumor groups have special surface characteristics that can serve as targets for so-called modern antibody-drug conjugates. These targeted drugs transport their active substance specifically into cancer cells and can therefore be significantly more effective than conventional chemotherapies.

Prof. Dr. Johannes Breyer, senior physician in the Department of Urology at Caritas Hospital St. Josef, explains on behalf of the BZKF Urothelial Carcinoma Study Group:

"The aim of the large-scale collaboration is, firstly, to understand which patients do not benefit well from new therapies and, secondly, which new customized therapy options can help better. The results will significantly help us to prepare future clinical trials in the ACCN and BZKF network that will directly benefit our patients. To this end, a joint database and biobank will be set up, important genetic changes will be analyzed and various molecular subtypes will be assigned to the tumors. We are also investigating how these characteristics relate to the course of the disease and using a pathological assessment method developed by the BZKF to accurately assess the remaining tumor after therapy."

Prof. Dr. Shahrokh Shariat, Head of the Department of Urology and the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital and spokesperson for the ACCN, emphasizes:

"The one-year funding phase serves as important start-up funding for future joint project applications in the European Union. With this project, the BZKF and ACCN are sending out a strong signal for European collaboration in cutting-edge research - with the clear aim of providing patients with aggressive urinary tract cancer with better and more individualized treatment options."

Austrian Comprehensive Cancer Network (ACCN)

The Austrian Comprehensive Cancer Network (ACCN) pools the resources and expertise of the three Austrian Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCC) in Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck in order to jointly develop innovative treatment approaches and research results for cancer patients. The aim of the ACCN is to further improve prevention and cutting-edge medicine in oncology through the networking of local structures and to make optimum use of synergies between the three locations in order to fight cancer together.