Controversies and challenges in research on urogenital schistosomiasis-associated bladder cancer

• The causal link between Schistosoma haematobium infection and bladder cancer is accepted.
• The mechanisms of schistosomal bladder cancer (SBC) are poorly understood.
• Newly identified bladder regeneration pathways may be relevant mechanisms to SBC.
• New mouse models and genomics methods may expand knowledge of SBC.

Urogenital schistosomiasis, infection with Schistosoma haematobium, is linked to increased risk for the development of bladder cancer, but the importance of various mechanisms responsible for this association remains unclear, in part, owing to lack of sufficient and appropriate animal models. New advances in the study of this parasite, bladder regenerative processes, and human schistosomal bladder cancers may shed new light on the complex biological processes that connect S. haematobium infection to bladder carcinogenesis.