Research on new drugs in the therapy of bladder cancer (BC)

Abstract

New, more effective and safer therapies in bladder cancer are being developed. Most attention is focused on monoclonal antibody therapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies on the use of the new drugs in bladder cancer are currently in progress. The great hope is associated with monoclonal antibodies, which are immune checkpoint inhibitors. Last year, two drugs from this group (Atezolizumab and Nivolumab) have been approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Other monoclonal antibodies in this group such as Pembrolizumab are also in clinical trials. Much attention is also focused on targeted therapies. Inhibitors of: VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) and mTOR kinase are examined in bladder cancer. These drugs are often studied as a combination therapy with chemioterapeutic agents. Alternatives for BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) therapy in non muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are also being developed. Research on the use of new vaccines and other immunotherapies (e.g. IL-12 therapy) are underway. The aim of this paper is to present the direction of current trends in bladder cancer treatment and what changes in therapy we can expect in the future. The drugs in clinical trials and those already registered in other countries have been reviewed. The latest drug-based therapeutic solutions have been described, which can replace traditional chemotherapy in the future.