Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies
07:48

An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies

Published on: December 1, 2013

Emerging apoptosis agonists for bladder cancer

Chris Protzel1, Oliver W Hakenberg

  • 1Department of Urology, University of Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany.

Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs
|September 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This review explores using apoptosis agonists to improve bladder cancer treatment. Combining these agents with chemotherapy shows promise for advanced bladder cancer, though clinical trials are pending.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Bladder cancer is a prevalent and aggressive malignancy.
  • Conventional chemotherapy often fails to cure advanced bladder cancer.
  • Chemoresistance in malignancies frequently involves alterations in apoptotic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current research on apoptosis agonists for bladder cancer.
  • To explore the potential of combining apoptosis agonists with chemotherapy.
  • To discuss future perspectives for this therapeutic approach in bladder cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies.
  • Analysis of apoptotic pathways in cancer chemoresistance.
  • Examination of therapeutic strategies involving apoptosis agonists.

Main Results:

  • Preclinical data suggest that apoptosis agonists can enhance chemotherapy response.
  • Apoptosis modulation is a key factor in overcoming chemoresistance.
  • No clinical trials have yet successfully translated these principles for bladder cancer.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptosis agonists represent a promising strategy to improve bladder cancer prognosis.
  • Combination therapy with conventional chemotherapy warrants further clinical investigation.
  • Targeting apoptotic pathways offers a potential avenue for overcoming treatment resistance in bladder cancer.

More Related Videos

Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development11:02

Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development

Published on: October 30, 2013

Related Concept Videos

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...