[Update on systemic treatment of urothelial cancer: therapy in transition]

The systemic treatment of locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma has been changing at a breathtaking pace for a few years. However, platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be the central component of perioperative therapies and first-line treatment in the metastatic stage. Immunotherapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors are now an integral part of therapy algorithms. New targeted forms of chemotherapy are about to be approved. Advances in understanding the molecular genetic analysis of tumour tissue will soon enable personalised therapy options. This article is intended to provide an overview of current systemic therapy options and the underlying database. New developments are identified by presenting ongoing phase III trials. After reading this article, the reader should feel informed about the current status of systemic therapy for urothelial carcinoma.