The objective of this review is to assess the role of laser technology in the management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
A literature review was conducted using the Medline database with the keywords bladder and laser. Relevant articles in English and French were selected to produce a narrative review focusing on the main risks and applications of lasers in urology.
The lasers currently employed for NMIBC treatment include Ho:YAG, continuous and pulsed Tm:YAG, thulium fiber, GreenLight KTP or LBO, and diode lasers. Two surgical techniques are currently used for endoscopic laser management of NMIBC: en bloc resection and photovaporization. Laser settings according to surgical technique and generator type, as well as oncological, histological, and safety outcomes, are discussed in this review. Overall, lasers occupy an important role in NMIBC management, offering oncological results comparable to other energy sources while providing a more favorable perioperative safety profile.
Despite favorable outcomes, further studies are required to better define the role of lasers in NMIBC management through randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up. Such evidence would help clarify the specific indications of each laser modality and optimize the surgical treatment of NMIBC with laser technology.
The French journal of urology. 2025 Nov [Epub]
Steeve Doizi, Nadia Abid, Olivier Traxer, Frédéric Panthier, Christophe Almeras
Sorbonne Université, Service d'Urologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, GRC n(o) 39, Santé de l'homme, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France; Endolase Lab, GRC n(o) 20, Sorbonne Université, PIMM Lab Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 75020 Paris, France; PIMM, UMR 8006 CNRS-Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 151, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France; Endourology Technology Section of European Association of Urology (EAU), Arnhem, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ., Department of Urology and Transplant Surgery, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Édouard-Herriot Hospital, 5, place d'Arsonval, 69003 Lyon, France. Electronic address: ., Sorbonne Université, Service d'Urologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France; Endolase Lab, GRC n(o) 20, Sorbonne Université, PIMM Lab Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 75020 Paris, France; PIMM, UMR 8006 CNRS-Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 151, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France; Endourology Technology Section of European Association of Urology (EAU), Arnhem, The Netherlands; Sorbonne Université, GRC n(o) 20, Groupe de Recherche Clinique sur la Lithiase Urinaire, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France. Electronic address: ., Sorbonne Université, Service d'Urologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, 75020 Paris, France; Endolase Lab, GRC n(o) 20, Sorbonne Université, PIMM Lab Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 75020 Paris, France; PIMM, UMR 8006 CNRS-Arts et Métiers ParisTech, 151, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France; Endourology Technology Section of European Association of Urology (EAU), Arnhem, The Netherlands; Progressive Endourological Association for Research and Leading Solutions (PEARLS). Electronic address: ., Department of Urology, La Croix du Sud Clinic-RGDS, UroSud, 52 bis, chemin de Ribaute, Boîte 301, 31130 Quint-Fonsegrives, France. Electronic address: .