Abstract
Urothelial cancer is a chemotherapy-sensitive malignancy, with the regimen of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (M-VAC) until recently considered to be the first choice for chemotherapy. Poor survival and substantial toxicity associated with M-VAC have led to investigations into alternative chemotherapy strategies, and the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) may be promising. In addition, combination chemotherapy of taxanes along with gemcitabine and/or platinum-based agents is also considered to provide clinical benefits as second-line chemotherapy following M-VAC or GC therapy. In the near future, results of trials using molecular target therapies may bring improved outcomes for patients with bladder cancer.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sternberg CN, Yagoda A, Scher HI et al (1988) M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) for advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the rothelium. J Urol 139:461–469
Igawa M, Ohkuchi T, Ueki T et al (1990) Usefulness and limitations of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin for the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer. J Urol 144:662–665
Advanced Bladder Cancer (ABC) Meta-analysis Collaboration (2003) Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 136:1927–1934
Advanced Bladder Cancer (ABC) Meta-analysis Collaboration (2005) Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer: update of a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Eur Urol 48:202–206
Stockle M, Meyenburg W, Wellek S et al (1995) Adjuvant polychemotherapy of non-organ confined bladder cancer after radical cystectomy revisited: long term results of a controlled prospective study and further clinical experience. J Urol 153:47–52
Studer UE, Bacchi M, Biedermann C et al (1994) Adjuvant cisplatin chemotherapy following cystectomy for bladder cancer: results of a prospective randomised trial. J Urol 152:81–84
Freiha F, Reese J, Torti FM (1996) A randomised trial of radical cystectomy versus radical cystectomy plus cisplatin, vinblastine and methotrexate chemotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer. J Urol 155:495–500
Skinner DG, Daniels JR, Russel CA et al (1990) Adjuvant chemotherapy following cystectomy benefits patients with deeply invasive bladder cancer. Semi Urol 8:279–284
Bono AV, Benvenuti C, Gibba A et al (1997) Adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced bladder cancer. Final analysis of a controlled multicentre study. Acta Urol Ital 11:5–8
Advanced Bladder Cancer (ABC) Meta-analysis Collaboration (2005) Adjuvant chemotherapy in invasive bladder cancer. A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Eur Urol 48:189–201
Paz-Ares LG, Solsona E, Esteban E et al (2010) Randomized phase III trial comparing adjuvant paclitaxel/gemcitabine/cisplatin (PGC) to observation in patients with resected invasive bladder cancer: results of the Spanish Oncology Genitourinary Group (SOGUG) 99/01 study. J Clin Oncol In: ASCO annual meeting proceedings (post-meeting edition) 28: no. 18 suppl
Harker WG, Meyers FJ, Freiha FS et al (1985) Cisplatin, methotrexate, and vinblastine (CMV): an effective chemotherapy regimen for metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract. A Northern California Oncology Group study. J Clin Oncol 3:1463–1470
Logothetis CJ, Dexeus FH, Finn L et al (1990) A prospective randomized trial comparing MVAC and CISCA chemotherapy for patients with metastatic urothelial tumors. J Clin Oncol 8:1050–1055
Sternberg CN, de Mulder PH, Schornagel JH et al (2001) European organization for research and treatment of cancer genitourinary tract cancer cooperative group. Randomized phase III trial of high-doseintensity methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) chemotherapy and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus classic MVAC in advanced urothelial tract tumors: European organization for research and treatment of cancer protocol no. 30924. J Clin Oncol 19:2638–2646
Sternberg CN, de Mulder P, Schornagel JH et al (2006) EORTC Genito-urinary Cancer Group. Seven year update of an EORTC phase III trial of highdose intensity M-VAC chemotherapy and G-CSF versus classic M-VAC in advanced urothelial tract tumours. Eur J Cancer 42:50–54
Dreicer R, Manola J, Roth BJ et al (2000) Phase II study of cisplatin and paclitaxel in advanced carcinoma of the urothelium: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study. J Clin Oncol 18:1058–1061
Sengelov L, Kamby C, Lund B et al (1998) Docetaxel and cisplatin in metastatic urothelial cancer: a phase II study. J Clin Oncol 16:3392–3397
Dimopoulos MA, Bakoyannis C, Georgoulias V et al (1999) Docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in advanced carcinoma of the urothelium: a multicenter phase II study of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group. Ann Oncol 10:1385–1388
Bamias A, Aravantinos G, Deliveliotis C et al (2004) Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group. Docetaxel and cisplatin with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) versus MVAC with G-CSF in advanced urothelial carcinoma: a multicenter, randomized, phase III study from the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group. J Clin Oncol 22:220–228
Peters GJ, Bergman AM, Ruiz van Haperen VW et al (1995) Interaction between cisplatin and gemcitabine in vitro and in vivo. Semin Oncol 22:72–79
von der Maase H, Sengelov L, Roberts JT et al (2005) Long-term survival results of a randomized trial comparing gemcitabine plus cisplatin, with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, plus cisplatin in patients with bladder cancer. J Clin Oncol 23:4602–4608
von der Maase H, Hansen SW, Roberts JT et al (2000) Gemcitabine and cisplatin versus methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin in advanced or metastatic bladder cancer: results of a large, randomized, multinational, multicenter, phase III study. J Clin Oncol 18:3068–3077
Redman BG, Smith DC, Flaherty L et al (1998) Phase II trial of paclitaxel and carboplatin in the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 16:1844–1848
Zielinski CC, Schnack B, Grbovic M et al (1998) Paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer: results of a phase II trial. Br J Cancer 78:370–374
Vaughn DJ, Malkowicz SB, Zoltick B et al (1998) Paclitaxel plus carboplatin in advanced carcinoma of the urothelium: an active and tolerable outpatient regimen. J Clin Oncol 16:255–260
Pycha A, Grbovic M, Posch B et al (1999) Paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with metastatic transitional cell cancer of the urinary tract. Urology 53:510–515
Dreicer R, Manola J, Roth BJ et al (2004) Phase III trial of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin versus carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced carcinoma of the urothelium. Cancer 100:1345–1639
Bellmunt J, Guillem V, Paz-Ares L et al (2000) Phase I/II study of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and gemcitabine inadvanced transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelium. Spanish Oncology Genitourinary Group. J Clin Oncol 18:3247–3255
Lorusso V, Crucitta E, Silvestris N et al (2005) Italian Bladder Cancer Group. Randomised, open-label, phase II trial of paclitaxel, gemcitabine and cisplatin versus gemcitabine and cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy in advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. Oncol Rep 13:283–287
Pectasides D, Glotsos J, Bountouroglou N et al (2002) Weekly chemotherapy with docetaxel, gemcitabine and cisplatin in advanced transitional cell urothelial cancer: a phase II trial. Ann Oncol 13:243–250
Bajorin DF, McCaffrey JA, Dodd PM et al (2000) Ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin for patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: final report of a phase II trial evaluating two dosing schedules. Cancer 88:1671–1678
Li J, Juliar B, Yiannoutsos C et al (2005) Weekly paclitaxel and gemcitabine in advanced transitionalcell carcinoma of the urothelium: a phase II Hoosier Oncology Group study. J Clin Oncol 23:1185–1191
Ardavanis A, Tryfonopoulos D, Alexopoulos A et al (2005) Gemcitabine and docetaxel as first-line treatment for advanced urothelial carcinoma: a phase II study. Br J Cancer 92:645–650
Witte RS, Elson P, Bono B et al (1997) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group phase II trial of ifosfamide in the treatment of previously treated advanced urothelial carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 15:589–593
Sweeney CJ, Williams SD, Finch DE et al (1999) A Phase II study of paclitaxel and ifosfamide for patients with advanced refractory carcinoma of the urothelium. Cancer 86:514–518
Meluch AA, Greco FA, Burris HA III et al (2001) Paclitaxel and gemcitabine chemotherapy for advanced transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: a phase II trial of the Minnie pearl cancer research network. J Clin Oncol 19:3018–3024
McCaffrey JA, Hilton S, Mazumdar M et al (1997) Phase II trial of docetaxel in patients with advanced or metastatic transitional-cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 15:1853–1857
Roth BJ, Dreicer R, Einhorn LH et al (1994) Significant activity of paclitaxel in advanced transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelium: a phase II trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. J Clin Oncol 12:2264–2270
Dreicer R, Gustin DM, See WA et al (1996) Paclitaxel in advanced urothelial carcinoma: its role in patients with renal insufficiency and as salvage therapy. J Urol 156:1606–1608
Lorusso V, Pollera CF, Antimi M et al (1998) A phase II study of gemcitabine in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract previously treated with platinum. Italian Co-operative Group on bladder cancer. Eur J Cancer 34:1208–1212
Moore MJ, Tannock IF, Ernst DS et al (1997) Gemcitabine: a promising new agent in the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer. J Clin Oncol 15:3441–3445
Sternberg CN, Calabro F, Pizzocaro G et al (2001) Chemotherapy with an every-2-week regimen of gemcitabine and paclitaxel in patients with transitional cell carcinoma who have received prior cisplatin-based therapy. Cancer 92:2993–2998
Hoshi S, Ohyama C, Ono K et al (2004) Gemcitabine plus carboplatin; and gemcitabine, docetaxel, and carvoplatin combined chemotherapy regimens in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma previously treated with a platinum-based regimen: preliminary report. Int Clini Oncol 9:125–129
Pectasides D, Aravantinos G, Kalofonos H et al (2001) Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and ifosfamide as second-line treatment in metastatic urothelial cancer. A phase II trial conducted by the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group. Ann Oncol 12:1417–1422
Piccart MJ, Lamb H, Vermorken JB (2001) Current and future potential roles of the platinum drugs in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Ann Oncol 12:1195–1203
Shinohara N, Harabayashi T, Suzuki S et al (2006) Salvage chemotherapy with paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and nedaplatin in patients with urothelial cancer who had received prior cisplatin-based therapy. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 58:402–407
Fahy J, Duflos A, Ribet JP et al (1997) Vinca aikaloids in superacidic media: a method for creating a new family of antitumor derivatives. J Am Chem Soc 119:8576–8577
Fahy J (2001) Modifications in the “upper” velbanamine part of the Vinca alkaloids have major implications for tubulin interacting activities. Curr Pharm Des 7:1181–1197
Hill BT, Fiebig HH, Waud WR et al (1999) Superior in vivo experimental antitumour activity of vinflunine, relative to vinorelbine, in a panel of human tumour xenografts. Eur J Cancer 35:512–520
Kruczynski A, Colpaert F, Tarayre JP et al (1998) Preclinical in vivo antitumour activity of vinflunine, a novel fluorinated Vinca alkaloid. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 41:437–447
Culine S, Theodore C, De Santis M et al (2006) A phase II study of vinflunine in bladder cancer patients progressing after first-line platinum-containing regimen. Br J Cancer 94:1395–1401
Vaughn DJ, Srinvas S, Stadler WM et al (2009) Vinflunine in platinum-pretreated patitents with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Cancer 115:4110–4117
Carles J, Nogue M, Domenech M et al (2000) Carboplatin + gemcitabine treatment of patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and impaired renal function. Oncology 59:24–27
Bellmunt J, de Wit R, Albanell J et al (2001) A feasibility study of carboplatin with fixed dose of gemcitabine in “unfit” patients with advanced bladder cancer. Eur J Cancer 37:2212–2215
De Santis M, Bellmunt J, Mead G et al (2009) Randomized phase II/III trial assessing gemcitabine/carboplatin and methotrexate/carboplatin/vinblastine in patients with advanced urothelial cancer “unfit” for cisplatin-based chemotherapy: phase II-results of EORTC study 30986. J Clin Oncol 27:5634–5639
Neal DE, Sharples L, Smith K et al (1990) The epidermal growth factor receptor and the prognosis of bladder cancer. Cancer 65:1619–1625
Petrylak DP, Tangen CM, Van Veldhuizen PJ Jr et al (2010) Results of the southwest oncology group phase II evaluation (study S0031) of ZD1839 for advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. Br J Urol Int 105:317–321
Philips GK, Halabi S, Sanford B et al (2009) A phase II trial of cisplatin (C), gemcitabine (G) and gefitinib for advanced urothelial tract carcinoma: results of cancer and leukemia goup B (CALGB) 90102. Ann Oncol 20:1074–1079
Jimenez RE, Hussain M, Bianco FJ Jr et al (2001) Her-2/neu overexpression in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: prognostic significance and comparative analysis in primary and metastatic tumors. Clin Cancer Res 7:2440–2447
Coogan CL, Estrada CR, Kapur S et al (2004) HER-2/neu protein overexpression and gene amplification in human transitionalcell carcinoma of the bladder. Urology 63:786–790
McHugh LA, Kriajevska M, Mellon JK et al (2007) Combination treatment of bladder cancer cell lines with lapatinib and varying chemotherapy regimens-evidence of schedule-dependent synergy. Urology 69:390–394
Wülfing C, Machiels JPH, Richel DJ et al (2009) A single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase 2 study of lapatinib as the second-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma. Cancer 115:2881–2890
Hussain MHA, MacVicar GR, Petrylak DP et al (2007) Trastuzumab, paclitaxel, carboplatin, and gemcitabine in advanced human epidermal growth receptor-2/neu-positive urothelial carcinoma: results of a multicenter phase II National cancer institute trial. J Clin Oncol 25:2218–2224
Wu W, Shu X, Hovsepyan H et al (2003) VEGF receptor expression and signaling in human bladder tumors. Oncogene 22:3361–3370
Duff SE, Jezioraka M, Rosa DD et al (2006) Vascular endothelial growth factors and receptors in colorectal cancer: implications for anti-angiogenic therapy. Eur J Cance 42:112–117
Dreicer R, Li H, Stein M et al (2009) Phase 2 trial of sorafenib in patients with advanced urothelial cancer. Cancer 115:4090–4095
Sridhar SS, Winquist E, Eisen A et al (2010) A phase II trial of sorafenib in first-line metastatic urothelial cancer: a study of the PMH phase II consortium. Invest New Drugs. Published online 27 Feb 2010, doi:10.1007/s10637.9408.4
Gallagher DJ, Milowsky MI, Gerst SR et al (2010) Phase II study of sunitinib in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer. J Clin Oncol 28:1373–1379
Hahn NM, Stadler WM, Zon RT et al (2011) Phase II trial of cisplatin, gemcitabine, and bevacizumab as first-line therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma: Hoosier Oncology Group GU 04-75. J Clin Oncol 21 March 2011, doi:10.1200/JCO.2010.31.6067
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mitsui, Y., Yasumoto, H., Arichi, N. et al. Current chemotherapeutic strategies against bladder cancer. Int Urol Nephrol 44, 431–441 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-011-0009-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-011-0009-8