Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Urothelial Cancer: An Update on New Therapies
Ongoing trials are evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors—used alone, in combination with cytotoxic, targeted, radiation therapies, or with other such inhibitors—for therapy in patients with advanced bladder cancer.
Author disclosures The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.
Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the US Government, or any of its agencies. This article may discuss unlabeled or investigational use of certain drugs. Please review the complete prescribing information for specific drugs or drug combinations—including indications, contraindications, warnings, and adverse effects—before administering pharmacologic therapy to patients.
Dr. El-Mouallem is a Fellow in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, and a Fellow in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Care at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond. Dr. Paul is Assistant Clinical Professor in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Care at Massey Cancer Center at VCU Medical Center. Correspondence: Dr. Paul (asit.paul@vcuhealth.org)
Conclusion
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as pivotal treatments for patients with advanced urothelial cancer who are unfit to receive cisplatin in the first-line setting or who experience disease progression after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. This field continues to expand at a rapid pace due to multiple ongoing clinical trials assessing these agents, whether alone, in combination with cytotoxic, targeted, radiation therapies, or with other immune checkpoint inhibitors, both in the advanced as well as the neoadjuvant/adjuvant settings.
