Update in Urothelial Carcinoma: Novel Agents and Targeted Therapy

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a chemosensitive disease with high response rates to platinum-based combination chemotherapy in locally advanced or advanced disease. However, de novo or emergence of cisplatin-resistance limits the duration of response, patients are frequently ineligible for cisplatin, and therapies tested thus far have minimal activity as second-line therapy. The first wave of clinical trials of novel agents and targeted therapy have modestly advanced the field and laid the foundations for future studies. These trials include the deployment of monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target mediators of angiogenesis and growth receptors. Novel cytotoxic agents have also been tested as single-agents in the second-line setting and together with the first-line combination of gemcitabine with cisplatin. To date, these novel agents have yet to demonstrate the ability to substantially improve the overall survival of patients with bladder cancer. Comparative trials of chemotherapy with or without a novel agent are ongoing and have the potential to improve upon current standard therapy. Moreover, state-of-the-art technologies have been developed that will likely identify the molecular alterations which drive both UC and platinum-resistance and in turn provide opportunities for drug development. The latter includes an interrogation of microRNAs and the integrated study of genetic mutations in extreme phenotypes of the disease. In essence, this ongoing work paired with physician and patient commitments to clinical trial participation will ultimately lead to advances in the care of patients with urothelial cancer.