Clinical Implications of Circulating Tumor DNA in MIBC

Petros Grivas, MD, PhD Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, UW Medicine | Joshua Meeks, MD, PhD Northwestern Medicine

June 16, 2025

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Key Points

  • Panel discussion on what to look forward to with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

  • What investigators hypothesize about the role of ctDNA in guiding MIBC treatment.

  • Understanding who and how they will respond to the NIAGARA trial regimen based on ctDNA.

An exploratory analysis of the NIAGARA trial assessed the predictive value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Researchers presented the findings during the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.  

During a featured roundtable discussion at ASCO, the Oncology Brothers, Rahul Gosain, MD, MBA, and Rohit Gosain, MD, were joined by Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and UW Medicine, Seattle, Washington, and Joshua Meeks, MD, PhD, of Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, to explore the clinical relevance of ctDNA in the largest trial of MIBC to date.  

The panel emphasized the highly prognostic potential of ctDNA and discussed its evolving role as a biomarker for guiding personalized treatment decisions for patients with MIBC.