Axel S Merseburger, MD, chairman of the Department of Urology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein in Lubeck, Germany, and Elizabeth Plimack, MD, MS, Chief of the Division of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA, discuss recent data presented at ASCO 2021. They discuss results from a clinical trial investigating a bladder-sparing approach where patients received nivolumab plus gemcitabine/cisplatin and additional decision-making. Drs Merseburger and Plimack also discuss treatment sequencing and updated clinical trial results. According to Dr Merseburger, this was the year of novel ideas in bladder cancer.