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An estimated 500,000 people in the United States alone have a history of bladder cancer. Upwards of 69,000 new cases are reported in the U.S. each year. The annual direct costs of bladder cancer management in the United States alone are estimated at $4 billion, making bladder cancer one of the most expensive cancers to manage.
Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC) is the most common histological type of bladder cancer, accounting for over 90% of all bladder cancer patients in developed countries.
High rate of recurrence among TCC patients, and the risk for disease progression, metastases, and even death, necessitate regular monitoring of TCC patients. |
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At present, cystoscopy remains the gold standard for detecting primary or recurrent bladder cancer. TCC patients undergo eight cystoscopies during the first two years after detection. However, the invasive, very painful nature, and high costs of cystoscopy have prompted need for better, more cost-effective way to diagnose recurrences of the disease. |
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