Professor John Kelly

UCL Medical School
University College London
London

Better treatments for bladder cancer

Professor John Kelly is an expert surgeon and bladder cancer researcher based at University College London. He is investigating new and better ways to treat the disease through drugs and surgery.

Better surgery

Surgery is one of the most effective treatments for cancer, but it can often take some time for patients to recover after an operation. Professor Kelly wants to compare standard surgery for bladder cancer with keyhole surgery – a technique that’s less invasive and can help patients to get back on their feet more quickly.

He is running a clinical trial to find out which technique is the best way to remove the bladder. This kind of research is important to make sure people with cancer get the most effective and kindest treatment.

New treatments

Sometimes surgery isn't a suitable option for someone with bladder cancer, so Professor Kelly is also investigating better ways to treat these patients. He's testing a new treatment that involves heating the bladder and putting chemotherapy drugs directly into it, which could help to stop the disease coming back after treatment. If the results of this trial are positive, this new technique could help to save more lives in the future.