(EVITA) Ex vivo drug testing for advanced bladder cancer to predict treatment efficacy

Project summary

Erasmus MC and VitroScan leverage their expertise and technology to develop accurate testing using tumors derived from individual patients with bladder cancer. The project will deliver tools to assess the sensitivity of the patient’s tumor to chemotherapy before the therapy is actually started. The collaboration integrates leading scientific expertise and dedication to develop the tools for approved use in the clinic.

Introduction

Bladder cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the Netherlands and it is potentially lethal with a mortality rate of 25 patients/week. Bladder cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy and patients receive chemotherapy before their bladder is surgically removed or to reduce the growth of metastases. However, the risk that bladder cancer is not sensitive to chemotherapy is >50%. As a result, many patients experience no benefit while they are being exposed to side-effects. Within this project, we develop patient-specific tumor models to evaluate a patient’s tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy and thereby helping to guide treatment decisions.

To test drug sensitivity patterns of bladder cancer, we will establish a fast and accurate tumor testing platform: the VitroScan test. We aim to prove that the outcome of the VitroScan test correlates with the response to chemotherapy we observe in patients receiving chemotherapy. In parallel, the validated tumor testing tools will make further research possible to identify new drugs to expand the number of effective treatment options for bladder cancer patients.