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Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the US, yet significant disparities in access to guideline-concordant care persist—particularly among Black patients, women, older adults, uninsured individuals, and those in rural communities. For many patients with bladder cancer, access to personalized, high-quality care remains limited due to systemic inequities that impact timely diagnosis, treatment access, and use of supportive services. Overcoming these disparities requires data-driven strategies and a reimagining of care delivery grounded in equity.

ACCC provides resources to support cancer care professionals in identifying and addressing barriers to guideline-concordant care, helping ensure all patients receive equitable, evidence-based treatment.

National Quality Improvement Initiative

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Addressing Disparities in Bladder Cancer Care

Explore the stories and project aims of 3 cancer centers who participated in ACCC’s quality improvement initiative to address disparities in bladder cancer care through pre-assessments, multidisciplinary workshops, and ongoing follow-ups.
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Featured Resources

Infographic: Delivering High-Quality Bladder Cancer Care in the Community

Navigate the growing complexity of bladder cancer care using a framework for best practices developed by ACCC and the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). Qualifying cancer programs/practices may join a public registry on BCAN.org.
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Providing Equitable Care to Patients with Bladder Cancer

This equity-oriented care guide for patients with bladder cancer identifies roadblocks that patients with bladder cancer may encounter and what actions can be taken to mitigate disparities and unnecessary risks.
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Effective Practices in Bladder Cancer Care

This four-part series includes real life examples of programs that are making strides in the multidisciplinary approach to bladder cancer, showcasing the benefits of:

Featured Publication

Understanding and Mitigating Disparities in Bladder Cancer Care

This article explores disparities in bladder cancer, including data collected through a 2021 Bladder Cancer Economic Study by the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). It offers practical and operational tips for oncology care team members to manage underserved patients with bladder cancer.
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Interactive eCourse

Implementing Shared Decision-Making in Bladder Cancer Care

ACCC’s Implementing Shared Decision-Making in Bladder Cancer Care e-Course supports quality person-centered care by educating the multidisciplinary bladder cancer care team on health literacy and health equity best practices and shared decision-making conversations. Through this brief online course, oncology professionals can better address the existing barriers to quality bladder cancer care for underserved populations and improve care coordination for improved health outcomes.

Cancer programs and academic centers can implement quality improvement steps to optimize the delivery of guideline-based treatment for vulnerable patients with bladder cancer and, in doing so, prevent disparities in treatment delivery and outcomes.
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Abstracts & Presentations

Key Takeaways from a National Quality Improvement Initiative to Address Disparities in Bladder Cancer Care – [Video Podcast] Ep 54 Feb 26, 2025

Bladder cancer remains a prevalent disease with significant disparities in care, particularly in underserved populations. To address this, ACCC launched a national quality improvement initiative in three phases: 1. assessment and preparation, 2. action plan implementation, and 3. monitoring for continuous improvement. Dr. Samuel Washington, from the University of California, San Francisco, discussed the initiative’s early findings, highlighting site-specific approaches.
[Abstract e18815] Using Real-World Data to Assess Variations in Cost and Healthcare Utilization for Patients Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer May 26, 2022
This is a visual representation of an online publication from the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2022 Annual Meeting, June 3 - 7, 2022.

Cancer Buzz Podcasts

Examining Shared Decision-Making in Bladder Cancer Care — [PODCAST] EP 133 Sep 28, 2023

Disparities in bladder cancer care persist, especially with respect to race. In fact, patient demographics has a proven impact on health outcomes. Listen in as CancerBuzz speaks to Mary W. Dunn, MSN, RN, OCN, NP-C, Adult Nurse Practitioner of Urology and Medical Oncology at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Samuel L. Washington III, MD, MAS, Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco, about health literacy, shared decision-making, and educational resources being developed by ACCC.

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

Get the Facts About Bladder Cancer
May 20, 2021
Each May, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month helps highlight the facts about bladder cancer, promote awareness about the disease, and call for more investment in research, treatment, and care. This year’s theme emphasizes the importance promoting conversations about bladder cancer and its symptoms, treatments, and management.