Dr James J. Going, University of Glasgow Department of Pathology, Professor Anne-Marie McNicol, University of Glasgow Department of Pathology, Professor David Kirk, Gartnavel General Hospital, Dr David Stirling, Clinical Scientist, Department of Haematology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Professor Ian Mason, Clinical Biochemistry, University of Edinburgh. Professor Colin McArdle, University Dept.
Evidence points to a further increase in the future as the population ages significantly.
Uniquely amongst cancers, bladder cancer recurrence frequently occurs on multiple occasions with patients sometimes experiencing 10 or more episodes of recurrent disease in the course of follow-up. Clinical management of this disease is therefore intensive with patients undergoing multiple invasive investigations to ensure detection of recurrent tumours. Despite the significance of this disease, progress in diagnosis, treatment and understanding of the genetics of bladder cancer has been slow. Patient treatment is stratified by tumour stage, grade and recurrence status. However, at all levels of disease treatment pathological diagnosis can be tainted with a degree of uncertainty.