Predicting Outcomes in Bladder Cancer: Are We Any Good and Could We Do Better?

Predicting outcomes and prognosis in cancer is extremely important for patient care This is especially true in bladder cancer (BC), for which the outcome and prognosis range between cure after a single endoscopic procedure in non– muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC) to death in approximately 50% of patients with muscle-invasive BC (MIBC). In this issue of European Urology, Kluth et al [1] review the literature on prognosis and prediction tools in BC. The authors point out that cancer stage is the simplest and most commonly used prediction tool and has been widely validated, while tumour grade is the strongest predictor of progression and cancer-specific mortality. In daily practice, urologists use a combination of these to predict prognosis and guide treatment for patients. The authors argue that this traditional approach can be subjective and does not incorporate newer technology such as molecular markers or information on competing comorbidities.