title: Immunotherapeutic strategies for high-risk bladder cancer.
abstract: Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), which is the pathological diagnosis for the majority of bladder cancers, is a solid tumor entity that is responsive to immunotherapy as evidenced by a substantial cure rate documented with the use of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy in selected patients with high-grade superficial disease. The nonspecific immune modulation that occurs as a result of BCG therapy is not well understood; however, the success of BCG therapy provides a basis for the exploration of mechanisms related to immune responses and the development of novel immunotherapeutic agents for the treatment of high-risk disease. In this review, we discuss the complexity of the immune system and therapies that are considered capable of manipulating it to potentially benefit patients with bladder cancer.
authors: Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Immunology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. padsharma@mdanderson.org
authors: Padmanee
authors: P
authors: Sharma
authors: Lloyd J
authors: LJ
authors: Old
authors: James P
authors: JP
authors: Allison
mesh_terms: D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine