A novel therapeutic strategy utilizing EpCAM aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine for targeting bladder cancer and cancer stem cells

macropinocytosis, released GEM to inhibit DNA synthesis, and degraded all BCa cells under the action of a BCa cell intracellular phosphatase; however, they did not kill normal cells because of their low EpCAM expression. EpCAM-GEMs inhibited BCa growth and metastasis in three bladder tumor models, with good biosafety. These results demonstrated the targeted anti-tumor efficiency and good biosafety of EpCAM-GEMs in BCa treatment, which will provide a new therapeutic strategy in BCa biomarker targeted therapy.