BClear project kicks off to advance bladder cancer literacy in Europe

On September 16, 2025, partners from across Europe gathered for the official kick-off meeting of the BCLEAR project: Bladder Cancer Literacy for All: Advancing Knowledge and Care in Europe. This event was kindly hosted by the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the European Union. 

Co-funded by the European Union, this three-year initiative brings together the patient community, urologists, family doctors, academia, and public health experts with a shared ambition: to improve people’s understanding of bladder cancer and make access to information and care more equal across the region. 

Addressing an overlooked challenge 

Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Europe, yet it remains widely under-recognised despite its profound impact on patients and their families. 

Around 60% of bladder cancer cases occur in the EU’s lower-income countries, primarily affecting high-risk populations. Limited public awareness, combined with difficulties recognising early symptoms, often leads to late diagnosis. Even after diagnosis, many patients and families lack clear, reliable, and accessible information about treatment options and care pathways, which affects their ability to engage in shared decision-making and contributes to unequal outcomes across countries 

“This is a real opportunity for healthcare professionals to co-develop the SDM resources with patients and specifically working with key stakeholders in Hungary, Greece and Poland.” Prof Eammon Rogers, Chair of EAU Patient Office  - Eamonn Rogers, Chairperson of the EAU Patient Office

What BCLEAR aims to achieve 

BCLEAR sets out to close these gaps by promoting understanding, early detection, and informed decision-making. 

The project will: 

• Map bladder cancer health literacy levels across all EU Member States, with a focus on Greece, Hungary, and Poland, where awareness gaps are greatest
• Improve knowledge of risk factors such as smoking and occupational exposures through locally adapted approaches
• Develop educational multimodal materials in multiple languages to raise public awareness
• Launch shared decision-making tools to support conversations between patients and healthcare professionals for both non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancer
• Deliver bladder cancer awareness campaigns and organise local and European stakeholder events
• Produce  policy recommendations to ensure the project’s results lead to long-term, sustainable change
• Through these activities, BCLEAR aims to deliver and validate a set of tools and best practices that can serve as a blueprint for future bladder cancer health literacy campaigns across Europe and beyond. 

BCLEAR is coordinated by the European Association of Urology (EAU) and brings together a strong and diverse group of partners: the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC), European Cancer Leagues (ECL), WONCA Europe, Hellenic Urological Association (HUA), Hungarian Urological Society (HUS), Polish Urological Association (PTU), and the Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC). 

Each partner contributes unique expertise, from clinical practice and research to public health, primary care, advocacy, communication, and community engagement. 

The kick-off meeting marked the start of this collaborative effort. Over the next three years, BCLEAR will work towards a shared vision: a future where no person faces bladder cancer without the knowledge, resources, and support they need. 

By strengthening bladder cancer literacy, BCLEAR aims to empower patients, enable earlier diagnosis, improve shared decision-making, and reduce inequalities in care, contributing to the goals of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and advancing cancer prevention strategies across Member States. 

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.