ADA-friendly PDF: Implementing a New Standard of Care for Bladder Cancer

Blue Light Cystoscopy Clinical Advantages

Bladder Cancer currently affects more than 580,000 patients in the U.S. It is also the fourth most common cancer in men and is observed in men 3-4 times more than women.* Treatment can be difficult because bladder tumors may resemble normal, healthy tissue when using conventional white light cystoscopy. Tumors can be easily missed or incompletely removed, making cancer recurrence in the future more likely. Now, Blue Light Cystoscopy with Cysview (BLCC) uses the KARL STORZ Photodynamic Diagnosis system to identify the presence of cancerous tumors by displaying them in a bright pink color during procedures.

Its advantages include increasing potential detection of tumors and enhancing removal of tumors for a more complete resection. The result is significant new diagnostic and treatment capabilities for healthcare providers. In fact, in the 2016 Guidelines for the management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), the American Urological Association and Society for Urologic Oncology included Blue Light Cystoscopy as recommended for increasing the detection and reducing recurrence of NMIBC.

Thomas Cangiano, MD, Board-certified Urologist at Advent Health Altamonte Springs, FL, describes his initial experiences and observations when using the BLCC approach on his patients.