Tremelimumab–durvalumab combination shows promise for localized bladder cancer patients

Pre-surgical treatment with a combination of two immune checkpoint inhibitors – tremelimumab (anti-CTLA-4) and durvalumab (anti-PDL-1) – has shown promise in patients with localized bladder cancer who do not have standard treatment options available. The study, conducted by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (TX, USA), represented the first Phase I neoadjuvant trial of a combination immunotherapy for bladder cancer patients ineligible to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy, all of whom had tumors with high-risk features associated with unfavorable outcomes. Recently published in Nature Medicine, the results also highlight biomarkers associated with treatment responses. A total of 28 cisplatin-ineligible patients...