[Current treatment of bladder cancer: from epidemiology to surgical treatment]

Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder accounts for over 95% of bladder tumours in France. The incidence of this disease is increasing in industrialised countries. Several types of bladder cancer can be distinguished: (1) superficial tumours which have a risk of recurrence and progression, although conservative treatment based on endoscopic resection possibly followed by adjuvant therapy is a feasible option; (2) muscle-invasive tumours which require radical treatment; and (3) a group of so-called superficial tumours which require particularly close monitoring since they present a high risk of progression. Management of bladder tumours requires assessment of their potential to progress to a more invasive stage, and also consideration of a number of prognostic factors including endoscopic, histological and biological findings.