An estimated 12,300 Canadians were diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2024. The risk of developing bladder cancer increases with age, with most cases being diagnosed in individuals over 65 years of age, but it can be developed by adults of any age. It is the fifth most common cancer in Canada.
Today, high recurrence rates and expensive cost of treatment make bladder cancer a pressing health issue in Canada.
Our research strategy
Given these challenges, the Terry Fox Research Institute has embarked on a multi-pronged strategy to fund the best bladder cancer scientific teams and programs in the country.
In 2024/2025, roughly 2.8 per cent of the money invested by TFRI Research Grants Programs supported bladder cancer research. This added up to a total investment of $490,000.*
To allocate its resources, TFRI has international experts evaluate the excellence and the potential for impact of all its research projects. This approach distinguishes our research investment strategy from all others in Canada and allows donors to be confident that their investment is supporting the best research in Canada.
*Our scientific discovery projects are interdisciplinary by design and often focus on more than one cancer type. The figures listed above are an estimate and should not be taken as exact figures.