Bladder cancer grading is a crucial tool that helps guide treatment decisions and predict how aggressive a patient’s cancer may be. In this informative session from 2025, Dr. David Berman (MD, PhD) and Grace Bowry (MScN Student) explain how bladder cancer grading works, how it’s used in treatment decisions, and its strengths and weaknesses. They also present exciting research updates from the lab that show progress in improving how bladder cancer is staged and graded.
Understanding Bladder Cancer Grading
The two most common types of bladder cancer are non-muscle invasive and muscle-invasive, with stage describing how far cancer has spread and grade predicting how aggressive the tumor is.
- Low-grade tumors have relatively uniform cells, grow slowly and are less likely to invade other tissues or spread to other parts of the body. High-grade tumors have irregular, rapidly dividing cells which are more likely to recur may invade other tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
Grading is traditionally subjective, and agreement between pathologists can vary, which may impact treatment choices.
Innovations in Grading: AI and Digital Pathology
To overcome these challenges, Dr. Berman’s team is developing AI-based grading using digital pathology. By analyzing millions of cancer cells and quantifying features like nuclear size, shape, and proliferation, these models achieve 84–87% accuracy. Early cancer studies show they can improve sensitivity to aggressive cancers, reduce false alarms, and provide consistent results across patient cohorts internationally.
These innovations also support predictive models for recurrence risk, helping ensure treatments like BCG are targeted to patients who need them most.
Why Accurate Bladder Cancer Grading Matters
Accurate grading affects treatment decisions, surveillance schedules, and overall patient outcomes. For example, low-grade tumors might be managed conservatively, while high-grade tumors may require aggressive therapy. Emerging AI-driven tools aim to reduce subjectivity, support pathologists, and improve the care of bladder cancer patients.
Get Involved with Bladder Cancer Canada
Understanding bladder cancer grading and the latest research is just one part of navigating the journey with bladder cancer. Bladder Cancer Canada offers resources, educational sessions, and a supportive community to help patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals stay informed and empowered. Explore webinars, connect with others facing similar challenges, and discover ways to support research that drives better outcomes for the bladder cancer community.
