Systemic therapy in bladder cancer
1Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Abstract:
Systemic chemotherapy is essential for the management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and metastatic bladder cancer (BCa). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is key to the management of MIBC with many cisplatin-based regimens. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be considered for selected patients who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. Systemic chemotherapy with radiotherapy is a critical component of a trimodal bladder-preserving approach and is superior to radiotherapy alone. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has been the mainstay for metastatic BCa. Immunotherapy in the form of checkpoint inhibitors is a promising new drug for the treatment of BCa. Molecular characterization of each individual BCa is likely to lead to a target-directed therapeutic revolution.
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