Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer

Immunotherapy uses your body’s immune system to help fight cancer. It’s commonly used for early-stage bladder cancer and advanced/metastatic disease. 

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All Available Treatments

IV (through a vein) =      Pill =

Treatment Type

Intravesical immunotherapy

Drug Name
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) (IV)
Urinary, kidney, or bladder changes Flu-like symptoms Blood in the urine
Important Things to Know
  • Bladder Cancer Type: Non-Muscle Invasive (NMIBC)
  • Standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.  
  • Delivered directly into the bladder.  
  • May require several treatments over weeks/months. 
     

Treatment Type

Intravesical (via catheter)

Drug Name
Adstiladrin (Nadofaragene firadenovec-vncg)
Potential Side Effects
Urinary, kidney, or bladder changes
Important Things to Know
  • First and only FDA approved gene therapy
  • Recommended after Bacillus Calmetter-Guerin (BCG) stops working
  • It is not a system that needs removal at the end of a cycle
  • Given every 3 months
  • A monotherapy

Treatment Type

Immune checkpoint inhibitor

Drug Names
Tecentriq®(Atezolizumab) (IV)
Bavencio®(Avelumab) (IV)
Opdivo®(Nivolumab) (IV)
Keytruda®(Pembrolizumab) (IV)
Imfinzi® (Durvalumab) (IV)
Potential Side Effects
Fatigue/weakness Skin/nail changes Joint pain/stiffness Diarrhea Liver problems Lung problems
Important Things to Know
  • Bladder Cancer Type: Muscle-Invasive  
  • Pembrolizumab treats Non-Muscle Invasive  
  • Used in patients with previously treated metastatic bladder cancer
  • Combines targeted antibodies with cancer-killing agents
  • May be used after chemotherapy and immunotherapy