Top 5 Genitourinary Cancer Stories of 2025: Research, Treatments and Care

Patients with genitourinary cancers had several advances in care, research and resources in 2025. From new treatment options to tools that guide therapy decisions and lifestyle interventions that may impact disease progression, these stories highlight developments that can help patients and caregivers stay informed and engaged in their care.

How Patients with Kidney Cancer Can Stay Informed

Keeping up-to-date with reliable information remains critical for patients with kidney cancer and their families. According to Bryan Lewis, CEO of KidneyCAN, there are “a couple of ways that patients can stay informed and get involved in pushing research forward.”

Communities like Smart Patients, a closed online forum, provide a space for open dialogue without pressure. Organizations such as KidneyCAN, the NCCN, the NIH and the American Cancer Society offer patient-friendly research updates, treatment information and connections to clinical trials.

Lewis encourages patients to join advocacy efforts: “We would, of course, love for you to join us at KidneyCAN and become part of our grassroots army that goes to Washington to make our voices heard.” By participating in these networks, patients can feel more empowered to navigate treatment decisions and engage in research that could shape the future of kidney cancer care.

Pluvicto Expands Options for Metastatic Prostate Cancer

For men living with PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s expanded approval of Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) in March 2025 introduced a new treatment option. Pluvicto targets cancer cells expressing the PSMA biomarker with radiation, allowing patients to delay progression while maintaining quality of life.

Patients are encouraged to discuss with their care teams if Pluvicto may fit their goals. One study note emphasizes, “No one knows a person better than they know themselves — so self-advocacy matters and is something to be proud of.”

Support programs help patients manage logistics, insurance and travel while coordinating with their care teams. The therapy also allows for multidisciplinary care, with oncologists, urologists and nuclear medicine specialists working together to personalize treatment.

Decipher Bladder Test Guides Treatment for Aggressive Disease

The Decipher Bladder Genomic Subtyping Classifier helps clinicians predict which patients with bladder cancer are at higher risk for disease progression. Researchers noted that “molecular subtyping in [clinically non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer] suggests that luminal tumors harbor less aggressive disease, as reflected by lower rates of pathological upstaging to [muscle-invasive bladder cancer] and/or pN+.”

Patients with non-luminal tumors are more likely to advance to muscle-invasive disease and face higher mortality, while luminal tumors may indicate less aggressive cancer. This test can guide more intensive treatment decisions and help patients avoid unnecessary chemotherapy toxicity.

Elai Davicioni, medical director at Veracyte, stated, “This approach is the lynchpin of our Veracyte Diagnostics Platform, which helps facilitate evidence generation, reimbursement and adoption for our tests. It also provides insights that fuel continued innovation, with the overall goal of supporting physicians to deliver better, more-personalized patient care.”

Higher BMI Linked to Better Outcomes in Kidney Cancer

New research presented at the 2025 International Kidney Cancer Symposium found that patients with localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who maintained a BMI of 35 or higher after diagnosis had improved overall and disease-free survival compared with lower BMI patients.

Conversely, significant weight loss after diagnosis predicted poorer outcomes. The study included 1,414 patients and measured BMI changes two and three years after diagnosis. Researchers noted, “Each 1-unit increase in BMI was associated with about a 25% lower risk of death and a 15% lower risk of disease progression.”

These findings suggest monitoring weight changes during survivorship could help identify high-risk patients and guide supportive care strategies.

Diet and Fish Oil May Reduce Prostate Cancer Biomarkers

Lifestyle interventions also showed promise for men with prostate cancer on active surveillance. A high omega-3, low omega-6 diet paired with fish oil supplements reduced the Ki-67 index, a biomarker of cancer progression, by 15% over one year, while the control group saw a 24% increase.

Study authors noted, “The Ki-67 index values from our trial will potentially provide useful data for planning future prospective trials evaluating diet and lifestyle intervention trials in men on [active surveillance].”

Patients received monthly counseling from registered dietitians, including guidance on increasing omega-3 intake and limiting processed foods. Some participants experienced mild gastrointestinal side effects, but the findings highlight the potential role of diet and lifestyle in supporting prostate cancer management alongside clinical care.

References

1. “Who We Are,” by KidneyCAN. https://kidneycan.org/who-we-are/
2. Pluvicto. Prescribing information. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
3. Cancer Network. Do oncologists treat patients as they would themselves? Accessed June 2, 2025. https://www.cancernetwork.com/view/do-oncologists-treat-patients-they-would-themselves
4. “Molecular Subtyping for Predicting Pathological Upstaging and Survival Outcomes in Clinically Organ-confined Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy” by Joep J. de Jong et al., European Urology Open Science
5. “Post-Diagnosis Body Mass Index (BMI) Change on Survival in Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma” by Dr. Monica Sarkar, et al., International Kidney Cancer Symposium
6. “High Omega-3, Low Omega-6 Diet With Fish Oil for Men With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance: The CAPFISH-3 Randomized Clinical Trial” by Dr. William J. Aronson, et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology

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