Glycan-based therapeutic approaches for bladder cancer: Overcoming clinical barriers

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BLCA) remains a significant global health concern, being characterized by high incidence, recurrence, and mortality rates. Disease heterogeneity and rapid progression pose major challenges for effective management and identification of actionable biomarkers. Conventional therapies often fail to successfully achieve disease control, urging the development of novel, personalized approaches. In recent years, anti-tumour immunotherapy approaches in both pre-clinical and clinical settings have boomed. However, the efficacy of these strategies has been limited by the low mutational burden in some tumours, which hinders neoantigen presentation and the identification of BLCA-specific signatures. Cancer-associated aberrant glycosylation presents a unique opportunity for identifying BLCA-specific glycosignatures and developing innovative targeted therapeutics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical challenges in BLCA management and emerging novel therapies. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of glycosylation alterations as a unique opportunity for developing glycan-based therapies, potentially revolutionizing BLCA treatment strategies.

Keywords: Aberrant glycosylation; Bladder cancer; Glycoproteome; Targeted therapies.