Cong Yin,1,2,* Cen Liufu,3,4,* Tao Zhu,3,4 Shuai Ye,1,2 Jiahao Jiang,1,5 Mingxia Wang,3 Yan Wang,3 Bentao Shi1 

1Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 2Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Institute of Urology, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 4Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 5Clinical College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Bentao Shi, Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, People’s Republic of China, Email shibentaopku@126.com Yan Wang, Department of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Institute of Urology, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518036, People’s Republic of China, Email wangyan198614@163.com

Abstract: Bladder cancer, a prevalent malignant neoplasm of the urinary tract, exhibits escalating morbidity and mortality rates. Current diagnosis standards rely on invasive and costly cystoscopy and histopathology, underscoring the urgency for non-invasive, high-throughput, and cost-effective novel diagnostic techniques to ensure timely detection and standardized treatment. Recent years have witnessed the rise of exosome research in bladder cancer studies. Exosomes contain abundant bioactive molecules that can help elucidate the intricate mechanisms underlying bladder cancer pathogenesis and metastasis. Exosomes hold potential as biomarkers for early bladder cancer diagnosis while also serving as targeted drug delivery vehicles to enhance treatment efficacy and mitigate adverse effects. Furthermore, exosome analyses offer insights into the complex molecular signaling networks implicated in bladder cancer progression, revealing novel therapeutic targets. This review provides a comprehensive overview of prevalent exosome isolation techniques and highlights the promising clinical utility of exosomes in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in bladder cancer management.

Keywords: exosomes, isolation methods, bladder cancer, biomarkers, treatment