Dr. Elizabeth Plimack on Immunotherapy Potential in Bladder Cancer

Elizabeth Plimack, MD, MS, Associate Professor, Director of Genitourinary Clinical Research at Fox Chase Cancer Center, discusses immunotherapy in bladder cancer.

PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitors have shown activity in bladder cancers, says Plimack. Ipilimumab, a CTLA-4 targeting agent, also has potential, but it has not been tested as much as other immunotherapies have, she adds. At this point, the efficacy of ipilimumab by itself in bladder cancer is unknown. However, Plimack says the use of ipilimumab and other CTLA-4 targeting agents is worth investigating.

In lung cancer, PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitors have been combined with chemotherapy, and some preliminary data has been recorded. Plimack feels that researchers can take that information and build upon it in bladder cancer.