AccScience Publishing / Bladder / Online First / DOI: 10.14440/bladder.2025.0004
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REVIEW

Applications and future prospects of laser technologies in the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Yiting Liu1,2† ,  Lilong Liu1,2†* ,  Zhipeng Yao1,2† ,  Yaxin Hou1,2 ,  Zhenghao Liu1,2 ,  Yang Li1,2 ,  Yuhong Ding1,2 ,  Pengjie Shi1,2 ,  Zheng Liu1,2* ,  Ke Chen1,2*
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1 Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
2 Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
Bladder, e21200050 https://doi.org/10.14440/bladder.2025.0004
Submitted: 9 January 2025 | Revised: 15 March 2025 | Accepted: 25 April 2025 | Published: 5 June 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) represents a common malignancy of the urinary system across the globe and poses significant treatment challenges. Objective: This review comprehensively examined the application of laser technology in the treatment of BCa, including thulium (Tm) lasers (e.g., Tm-doped yttrium aluminium garnet [YAG]), GreenLight lasers (e.g., potassium titanyl phosphate-doped YAG and lead aluminum borate-doped YAG), holmium lasers (e.g., Ho-doped YAG), Tm fiber laser (TFL), and diode lasers. Studies have demonstrated that laser technology effectively improves tumor resection quality, reduces intraoperative bleeding, shortens recovery time, and lowers recurrence rates. Among these, Ho-doped YAG and Tm-doped YAG lasers have been shown to reduce tissue damage and enhance resection precision, while the TFL has attracted attention for its efficient tissue cutting and minimal thermal damage. GreenLight lasers offer advantages in preserving surrounding healthy tissues and demonstrate potential for use in outpatient settings. Diode lasers, known for their high-energy efficiency, contribute to improved overall treatment efficacy. This article further explored the benefits, drawbacks, and prospective uses of each laser technology in BCa treatment. Conclusion: This article thoroughly reviewed the applications of various laser technologies in BCa treatment, highlight their benefits and limitations, and assess their potential roles in future clinical practice.

Keywords
Bladder cancer
Laser
Prognosis
Funding
This research was supported by the Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (No. 2022YBJ018 and 2021RCYJ005), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82303623), the National Sponsored Postdoctoral Research Program of China (No. GZB20230243), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2023M731199).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Bladder, Electronic ISSN: 2327-2120 Print ISSN: TBA, Published by POL Scientific
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