First-of-its-kind: Frederick Health Administers New Innovative Bladder Cancer Treatment

Frederick Health is expanding treatment options for bladder cancer with a new, first-of-its-kind treatment manufactured by Johnson & Johnson.  

Frederick Health Urologic Oncologist and surgeon, Dr. Heather Chalfin, recently administered Maryland's first gemcitabine intravesical system INLEXZO™, an innovative new treatment option for bladder cancer.  

This treatment option, recently approved by the FDA in September, is a first-of-its-kind delivery system that administers the cancer-fighting drug directly into the tumor site. It remains in the bladder for three weeks per treatment cycle for up to fourteen cycles. This addresses an unmet medical need for additional treatment options following unsuccessful BCG therapy (standard of care that up to 40% may become unresponsive to) and for patients refusing or ineligible for bladder removal surgery (radical cystectomy) which may present life-altering challenges.  

Frederick Health is the first in Maryland and one of the first in the United States to perform this advanced treatment for bladder cancer. In this case, it was made available at no cost to the patient through J&J WithMe, Johnson & Johnson’s patient assistance program. 

“This is the first and only system approved to deliver chemotherapy this way,” said Dr. Chalfin. “It offers options for patients whose cancer has not responded to traditional treatments such as BCG.”  

According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be 84,870 new bladder cancer diagnoses and approximately 17,420 deaths from bladder cancer in the United States by the end of 2025. It is among the top ten leading causes of cancer deaths in the country. 

With an average of 9,471 new cases of bladder cancer in Maryland a year, Frederick Health is constantly working to offer patients the latest in cancer care. Frederick Health’s Urology and Oncology teams have recently expanded capabilities in bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment in additional ways, offering several advanced therapeutic options. 

In addition, Frederick Health has introduced blue light cystoscopy technology, which enhances the visibility of certain bladder tumors that may be missed with traditional white light cystoscopy. This advancement improves detection rates, especially for early-stage or hard-to-see cancers. Dr. Chalfin performed the first blue light cystoscopy procedure at Frederick Health on August 14, 2025. 

“We are constantly striving to bring leading-edge treatments and technology to Frederick County so that our patients can receive world-class care without having to leave the community,” said Dr. Chalfin. 

Frederick Health is proud to be the first site in Maryland to provide this groundbreaking technology to certain patients with bladder cancer. This achievement is part of Frederick Health's ongoing commitment to expanding access to world-class care and breakthrough therapies in Maryland.