Biologics: Targets & Therapy (Nov 2021)
Biological Therapeutic Advances for the Treatment of Advanced Urothelial Cancers
Abstract
Mimma Rizzo,1 Patrizia Giannatempo,2 Camillo Porta1,3 1Division of Medical Oncology, A.O.U. Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy; 3Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, Bari, ItalyCorrespondence: Camillo PortaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11, Bari, 70124, ItalyTel +39-080-5594167Email [email protected]: In recent years, diagnostic and therapeutic advances have contributed to a reduction in mortality rates of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy and safety as both first-line and first-line switch maintenance therapy for mUC. For platinum-refractory patients, in addition to immunotherapy, other targeted agents (antibody–drug conjugates and fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors) have been approved after demonstrating a clinically relevant advantage in overall response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival compared to standard of care. Sequential treatment strategies are finally feasible for patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma. This review will summarize the results of the most important phase II–III clinical trials for first-line, switch maintenance, second-line, and subsequent lines of therapy, and describe the most promising clinical trials currently ongoing in these treatment scenarios.Keywords: metastatic urothelial carcinoma, targeted therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, first-line treatment, second-line treatment
