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Bladder-sparing treatment

Bladder-sparing treatment is an option for people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who want to treat their cancer while keeping their bladder. It can be offered at the same stage as bladder removal surgery (cystectomy) and sometimes after systemic treatment.

Understanding this treatment

The main bladder-sparing approach is called chemoradiation. This is a combination of:

  • Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells in the bladder.
  • Chemotherapy to make the radiation work better and to treat cancer cells that may have spread beyond the bladder.

Before chemoradiation, the tumour is removed from the bladder as much as possible using a procedure called TURBT.

The aim of chemoradiation is to treat the cancer while keeping your bladder. Research shows that this approach can be very effective for carefully selected patients.

In some people, the cancer may come back or continue to grow after chemoradiation. About 1 in 6 people may then need surgery to remove the bladder.

This chapter contains general information about bladder-sparing treatment. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for guidance on your individual medical situation.

Last updated: April 2026

Reviewed by (2026 update): 

  • Dr. Laura Mertens (EAU Guidelines Panel on Muscle-invasive and Metastatic Bladder Cancer)
  • Prof. Dr. Antoine Van Der Heijden (EAU Guidelines Panel on Muscle-invasive and Metastatic Bladder Cancer)