https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2024.12307
The role of immunotherapy in urological cancers
Submitted: January 24, 2024
Accepted: February 10, 2024
Published: May 30, 2024
Accepted: February 10, 2024
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Immunotherapy is defined as a therapeutic approach that targets or manipulates the immune system. A deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular composition of the tumour environment, as well as the mechanisms controlling the immune system, has made possible the development and clinical investigation of many innovative cancer therapies. Historically, immunotherapy has played an essential role in treating urologic malignancies, while in the modern era, the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been critical to urology. Urothelial carcinoma is a common type of cancer in the genitourinary system, and treatment strategies in this area are constantly evolving. Intravesical and systemic immunotherapeutic agents have begun to be used increasingly frequently in treating urothelial carcinoma. These agents increase the anti-tumour response by affecting the body's defence mechanisms. Immunotherapeutic agents used in urothelial carcinoma include various options such as BCG, interferon, anti-PD-1 (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) and anti-PD-L1 (atezolizumab, avelumab, durvalumab). Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been known for many years as a tumour with unique sensitivity to immunotherapies. The recent emergence of ICIs that block PD-1/PD-L1 (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab) or CTLA4 (ipilimumab) signalling pathways has reestablished systemic immunotherapy as central to the treatment of advanced RCC. In light of randomized clinical trials conducted with increasing interest in the application of immunotherapies in the adjuvant setting, combination therapies (nivolumab/ipilimumab, nivolumab/cabozantinib, pembrolizumab/ axitinib, pembrolizumab/lenvantinib) have become the standard first-line treatment of metastatic RCC. Prostate cancer is in the immunologically "cold" tumour category; on the contrary, in recent years, immunotherapeutic agents have come to the fore as an essential area in the treatment of this disease. Especially in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer, immunotherapeutic agents constitute an alternative treatment method besides androgen deprivation therapy and chemotherapy. Ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, and Sipuleucel T (Vaccine-based) are promising alternative treatment options. Considering ongoing randomized clinical trials, immunotherapeutic agents promise to transform the uro-oncology field significantly. In this review, we aimed to summarize the role of immunotherapy in urothelial, renal and prostate cancer in the light of randomized clinical trials.
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How to Cite
Bosnali, E., Akdas, E. M., Telli, E., Teke, K., & Kara, O. (2024). The role of immunotherapy in urological cancers. Archivio Italiano Di Urologia E Andrologia, 96(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2024.12307
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