title: Molecular biomarkers to predict response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for bladder cancer.
abstract: Cystectomy is the gold standard for treatment of localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer. However, about 50% of patients develop metastases within 2years after cystectomy and subsequently die for the disease. Neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy before cystectomy improves the overall survival in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and pathological response to neoadjuvant treatment (downstaging to ⩽pT1 at cystectomy) is a strong predictor of better disease-specific survival. Nevertheless, some patients do not benefit from neoadjuvant therapy. The identification of reliable biomarkers that could enable the clinicians to identify patients who will really benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a major issue. This approach could lead to individualized therapy, in order to optimize the chance of response, avoiding the impact of neoadjuvant treatment on quality of life and the delay of cystectomy in non-responder patients. However, no molecular predictive biomarkers have shown clinical utility. This paper aims to review currently available data about biomarkers predictive of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buttigliero
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vignani
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: giorgio.scagliotti@unito.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Scagliotti
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Maio
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: Biomarkers; Bladder cancer; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Resistance; Sensitivity; Urothelial carcinoma