Bladder Cancer Prognosis Programme

The Bladder Cancer Prognosis Programme (BCPP) is a long term prospective multicentre programme of bladder cancer.  It consists of a follow-up study of bladder cancer patients recruited via 16 urology centres in the West Midlands and a bladder cancer Biobank. BCPP has so far recruited 1500 bladder cancer patients since it’s initiation in 2005.  Its biobank comprising fresh-frozen bladder cancer tissues as well as blood and urine has grown to be one of the world’s largest and most detailed providing a unique resource for a wide array of bladder cancer studies. Each biological sample is linked to over one thousand variables containing clinical, epidemiological and pathological data. All samples have also been linked to follow up data on recurrence and progression.

The following sub-projects are currently being undertaken using BCPP data or samples

• A cohort study to assess the effect of lifestyle factors on bladder cancer pathology and on the recurrence and progression of this disease.
• A prospective quality of life study among bladder cancer patients
• A Randomized Clinical Trial to assess the effect of selenium and vitamin E supplementation on the risk of recurrence and progression in patients with bladder cancer
• A project to develop a prediction model for recurrence and progression of bladder cancer using a panel of molecular markers detected by immunohistochemistry
• A molecular biology project investigating the role of cadherin switching in bladder cancer invasion, and the relationship with cancer stem cell biology
• A molecular biology project investigating the role of components of lipid signalling pathways in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer
• A MALDI-MS project investigating the prognostic utility of the urinary peptidome in bladder cancer patients