Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor

This phase Ib/II trial studies the side effects, best dose, and effectiveness of enfortumab vedotin (EV) in combination with pembrolizumab and radiation therapy for treating patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. Standard of care treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer is chemotherapy, to shrink the tumor before the main treatment is given (neoadjuvant), followed by surgery to remove all of the bladder as well as nearby tissues and organs (radical cystectomy). In cases where patients are not candidates for the standard of care approach or prefer a bladder sparing option, tri-modality therapy with transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy is used. Enfortumab vedotin is a monoclonal antibody, enfortumab, linked to an anticancer drug called vedotin. It works by helping the immune system to slow or stop the growth of tumor cells. Enfortumab attaches to a protein called nectin-4 on tumor cells in a targeted way and delivers vedotin to kill them. It is a type of antibody-drug conjugate. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a type of 3-dimensional radiation therapy that uses computer-generated images to show the size and shape of the tumor. Thin beams of radiation of different intensities are aimed at the tumor from many angles. This type of radiation therapy reduces the damage to healthy tissue near the tumor. Giving enfortumab vedotin with pembrolizumab and radiation therapy may work better in treating patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.

This pilot feasibility clinical trial is evaluating a novel treatment strategy for patients with advanced bladder cancer that is unresectable, has spread to nearby lymph nodes or a limited number of distant sites (oligometastatic disease), and has responded to initial treatment with enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab. Although this combination has significantly improved outcomes compared to traditional chemotherapy, many patients are left with residual cancer in the bladder or other sites, and there is currently no established standard approach for managing this remaining disease or determining the optimal duration of systemic therapy. Prolonged treatment can lead to cumulative side effects and negatively impact quality of life. This study investigates whether adding consolidative treatment-such as radiation therapy to the bladder and metastatic sites or surgical removal of the bladder (radical cystectomy)-can safely eliminate residual disease and delay cancer progression. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to precisely target and destroy cancer cells while minimizing exposure to surrounding normal tissues. In selected patients, surgery may be used to remove remaining tumor in the bladder. Targeted radiation techniques, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), may also be used to treat small metastatic sites. This approach may allow for safe discontinuation of systemic therapy, potentially reducing long-term treatment-related side effects. A key component of this trial is the integration of biomarker testing using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from blood and urine tumor DNA (utDNA). These tests detect small amounts of tumor-derived genetic material and may help identify patients most likely to benefit from consolidative treatment, as well as guide decisions about ongoing therapy. By combining response to systemic therapy with personalized local treatment and biomarker-driven monitoring, this study aims to improve cancer control, reduce complications from untreated local disease, and inform future treatment strategies for patients with advanced bladder cancer.

This phase I trial evaluates the effects of bicalutamide, compared to no study drug (NSD), on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Bicalutamide is in a class of medications called androgen receptor inhibitors. It works by blocking the effects of androgen (a male reproductive hormone) to stop the growth and spread of tumor cells. Previous studies have suggested that expression of a protein called EGFR on tumor cells is related to bladder cancer disease progression. This trial may help doctors evaluate if bicalutamide has any effect on EGFR expression in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

This phase II trial tests the effect of giving pembrolizumab in combination with radiation therapy after chemotherapy in preventing surgery to remove the bladder in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. Standard of care therapy includes chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink or get rid of the tumor. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Photon beam radiation therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses x-rays or gamma rays that come from a special machine called a linear accelerator. The radiation dose is delivered at the surface of the body and goes into the tumor and through the body. Giving pembrolizumab in combination with radiation therapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy may help prevent surgical removal of the bladder in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding gemcitabine to intravesical Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) versus intravesical BCG alone in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent). Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy drug that blocks the cells from making deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill cancer cells. Intravesical BCG is a solution containing the live BCG bacteria that is placed in the bladder via a catheter (intravesical). When the solution comes into direct contact with the bladder wall, it stimulates the body's immune system which kills tumor cells. Giving gemcitabine with intravesical BCG may kill more tumor cells in patients with recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.