UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Croatia seeks participants for a clinical study examining radiotherapy as an alternative to surgical removal of the bladder, offering hope to patients who do not respond to standard therapy.
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Croatia, located in Zabok, has begun enrolling patients in an international, multicenter clinical trial called BRACE. It is intended for individuals diagnosed with bladder cancer for whom Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy has not yielded results. The study aims to determine whether radiotherapy can serve as an effective alternative to surgical removal of the bladder, thereby preserving the organ.
Statistics for Croatia are concerning. On average, three people are diagnosed with bladder cancer every day, resulting in more than 1,000 new cases annually. About 500 patients lose their battle with this disease each year. In terms of incidence, it is the fourth most common malignant tumor in men and the seventh in the overall population. The survival rate in Croatia is among the lowest in the entire European Union.
Patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) accompanied by carcinoma in situ (CIS) who do not respond to BCG therapy currently have radical surgery as their only option. It is precisely for them that the BRACE trial opens the door to a potentially different approach. From UPMC Zabok, they emphasize that the study is particularly relevant for those who cannot undergo surgery or who wish to explore a less invasive method with the goal of preserving the bladder.
"The quality of life of our patients is one of the key factors in choosing treatment. For some individuals, surgical removal of the bladder is not the only option. The BRACE clinical trial is investigating the effectiveness of radiotherapy as an alternative option for patients who have limited treatment options after BCG therapy. Our goal is to select the most appropriate, individualized treatment approach for each patient and to provide people in Croatia with access to the latest advancements in cancer treatment and innovative clinical trials being conducted in Europe and worldwide," stated Marko Bebek, MD, Medical Director at UPMC and a specialist in oncology and radiotherapy.
Dr. Bebek adds that the intention is to find the most suitable, personalized therapeutic path for each patient and to ensure Croatian citizens have access to the most modern global and European clinical research.
All interested parties can contact UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok via email at [email protected], with the mandatory submission of medical documentation for review. "The clinical team will review each individual case to determine whether the patient meets the criteria for participation and will discuss the next steps with them," they emphasize from UPMC Zabok.
By participating in such international research, patients who meet the criteria can take part in a clinical study without traveling abroad.
Smoking is responsible for nearly half of all diagnosed cases of this type of cancer. The median age at diagnosis is 71 years. The appearance of blood in the urine is the most common, and often the only, early symptom of the disease, even when it occurs intermittently, which is why doctors warn that this sign should never be ignored.
For any additional information about the clinical trial and inclusion criteria, patients can contact UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Zabok directly.
