Immunology, Immunotherapy, and Translating Basic Science into the Clinic for Bladder Cancer

The Fourth Annual Albert Institute Bladder Cancer Care and Research Symposium was held from September 14th-16th in Houston, Texas. The symposium covered a range of topics relevant to bladder cancer, including basic science aspects of immunology and immunotherapy that inform clinical management; intravesical therapy for non-muscle invasive disease; understanding the nuances of carcinoma in situ; and optimizing patient care and outcomes following therapy. The moving landscape of bladder cancer from an industry perspective was also discussed. In the following sections we discuss intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including the immune microenvironment and sex bias, in the context of bladder cancer; how these influence tumor development, progression, and treatment strategies; and how the interpretation of immune features in relation to molecular subtypes informs both treatment decisions and response. We conclude with a summary of key points that will need to be addressed to ensure best use of new knowledge in this area for improved clinical management of patients with bladder cancer.