Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (includes T2 tumors) , Locally Advanced (includes T3 tumors) , Metastatic Bladder Cancer (includes T4 tumors)

Immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors

• Usually given to people who have already received chemotherapy but didn’t respond and need treatment with another therapy
• Also suitable for people who responded well to chemotherapy to maintain the benefits of this treatment
• Also suitable for people who can’t have surgery due to serious health problems, often in combination with other treatments
• Also suitable for people who can’t have chemotherapy due to other health problems, such as kidney failure or heart failure

Helps to boost the body’s immune response by helping immune cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. This helps the body to shrink or slow the growth of tumors, slowing the progression of the cancer

• Can be used as a secondary treatment for advanced bladder cancer if the cancer continues to progress after treatment with chemotherapy
• Some can be used after surgery in cases where there is a high risk of the cancer reoccurring
• For advanced bladder cancer, a treatment regimen of chemotherapy followed by an immune checkpoint inhibitor may be used as maintenance therapy, to maintain the benefits of chemotherapy and slow the progression of the cancer

Administered as an infusion directly into a vein

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Urinary tract infections
• Rash
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

Chemotherapy –> immune checkpoint inhibitor maintenance treatment: For advanced bladder cancer, a treatment regimen of chemotherapy followed by an immune checkpoint inhibitor may be used as maintenance therapy, to maintain the benefits of chemotherapy and slow the progression of the cancer