A tiny, pretzel-shaped device delivering chemotherapy directly into the bladder has shown remarkable success against bladder cancer — eliminating tumors in 82% of patients within three months. Nearly half remained cancer-free a year later.
The TAR-200 system slowly releases the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine over a three-week cycle. “This is the most effective therapy reported to date for the most common type of bladder cancer,” says Dr. Sia Daneshmand, director of urologic oncology at Keck Medicine of USC and lead author of the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
A New Option for Hard-to-Treat Cancer
More than 80,000 Americans are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, most with the non-muscle-invasive form. When tumors are high-grade and resistant to standard immunotherapy, patients often face radical bladder removal — a life-changing surgery. TAR-200 offers a less invasive alternative.
How the Trial Worked
Patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who failed standard treatment received TAR-200 every three weeks for six months, then quarterly for two years. Out of 85 participants, cancer vanished in 70 — with minimal side effects.
Looking Ahead
“This could lead to lasting remission and save lives,” says Daneshmand, who has been studying the device since 2016. The FDA has granted TAR-200 Priority Review, potentially speeding its path to wider use.
Lynn C. Allison ✉
Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books.