THE BLADDER microbiomes of women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer are strikingly similar to those of women without such a diagnosis, according to new research. This research, conducted on a cohort of 92 women, suggests that participants with gynecologic cancer can serve as effective controls in studies of the bladder microbiome.
The study, which involved adult women undergoing surgery for suspected gynecologic malignancy, sought to examine the differences, if any, in the urobiomes between cancer patients and healthy controls. Using a catheterized urine sample obtained before any antibiotic treatment, the researchers employed DNA sequencing to analyze the bacterial compositions of the bladder microbiome.
Participants, aged 22 to 92, included 20 with gynecologic cancer and 72 healthy women. Data analysis revealed no significant difference in the bladder microbiomes between the two groups, as measured by both alpha (within-sample) and beta (between-sample) diversity indices.
This finding challenges the hypothesis that cancer-related changes to the bladder microbiome might be a major factor in the disease’s pathophysiology. The results also suggest that women with gynecologic cancer can be confidently included as control subjects in urobiome research, making it easier to study the microbiome’s role in urinary tract infections and other urogynecologic conditions.
In conclusion, the study provides important insights into the comparability of bladder microbiomes in gynecologic oncology patients and healthy controls, laying the groundwork for future urobiome research in both cancer and general urogynecology.
Reference:
Nasse A et al. Gynecologic Oncology Patients have Urobiomes that are Similar to Women Without Gynecologic Cancer. Int Urogynecol J. 2025. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06235-6.
