[Current developments in the diagnostics and therapy of bladder carcinoma]

Considerable progress has been made in nearly all clinical scenarios of bladder carcinoma. Nevertheless early detection of bladder carcinoma using urine markers is still difficult so that none of the available tests can be recommended as a screening test. Photodynamic diagnostics and resection has now been shown for the first time to improve recurrence-free survival of patients but this impact on survival has to be confirmed in a phase III clinical trial before being regarded as standard of care. In pT1G3 tumors early cystectomy seems to improve the prognosis compared to organ preserving strategies. The value of adjuvant chemotherapy is becoming more and more evident, as, apart from several retrospective analyses it has been shown to improve survival in a clinical phase III trial. Furthermore, molecular markers are gaining importance and in the future can be used for identifying patients who may benefit from systemic chemotherapy of bladder carcinoma.