ctDNA in Subjects With Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Treated With Trimodality Therapy

The purpose of this prospective biospecimen collection study is to evaluate the feasibility of measuring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in subjects with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) treated with trimodality therapy consisting of a maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by radiation and concomitant chemotherapy.

Cancer cells have unique genes that determine the characteristics of tumors, such as how they will respond to different treatments. The tumor tissue will be used to determine the genes present in cancer cells. Tumor cells sometimes release fragments of DNA into the blood or urine (circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA) and measuring levels of ctDNA may be a way to monitor cancer and predict to determine which treatment works better and what will be the outcome of cancer.

Urine, blood, and tumor tissue are called biospecimens. Biospecimens can help researchers understand how the human body works. Researchers may develop new tests to monitor diseases or new ways to treat diseases. Plasma and urine specimens will be collected before, during, and after the standard-of-care treatment.

This study will estimate the feasibility of collecting plasma ctDNA detection in subjects with MIBC. If this information can be successfully collected and processed, the usefulness of ctDNA to predict tumor response to certain kinds of treatment or disease progression will be evaluated.