Active surveillance in low-grade NMIBC — results of an international two-round modified Delphi consensus

Abstract

Standard management for recurrent low-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (LG-NMIBC) often involves a substantial treatment burden, which is not justified by the relatively indolent course of the disease, prompting a need for de-intensification strategies. Active surveillance (AS) is an alternative approach aimed at reducing overtreatment in selected patients. However, the broader adoption of AS is hindered by a lack of standardized protocols for patient selection, monitoring and intervention. To address this gap, we conducted an international, two-round Delphi consensus among 51 bladder cancer experts to establish foundational statements for the use of AS. Consensus was achieved on 20 statements, providing clear recommendations for terminology; inclusion and exclusion criteria; follow-up monitoring; and exit criteria. This Delphi consensus provides the first expert-driven framework to standardize the clinical application of AS for LG-NMIBC. These statements could guide current clinical practice and unify the design of future trials. This article provides consensus-based statements from an international panel of bladder cancer experts on the use of active surveillance in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Consensus statements cover several aspects of active surveillance, including terminology, eligibility criteria and treatment triggers, providing a framework to guide clinical practice and trial design in this space.