Dr. Andrea Apolo on Treatment Challenges in Metastatic Bladder Cancer

Andrea Apolo, MD, medical oncologist at the National Cancer Institute and chief of the bladder cancer section of the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, discusses treatment challenges for patients with refractory, metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Chemotherapy-based first-line therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma achieves a median survival of about 14 to 15 months and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates range from just 13% to 15%, says Apolo. There are very few options available once patients progress on standard platinum-based therapy.

Avelumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, has shown promising results in refractory, metastatic urothelial carcinoma. This clinical efficacy is exciting, says Apolo. Next steps include studying avelumab in large clinical trials, identifying biomarkers, and investigating potential combination therapies, she says.