ReviewTranslational andrology and urology2026
Immune checkpoint inhibitors in BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a narrative review of evidence and future directions.
Review in Translational andrology and urology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objective: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) unresponsive to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy poses a significant clinical challenge, as the standard intervention of radical cystectomy (RC) is associated with substantial morbidity. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a promising strategy that may enable bladder preservation. This review critically evaluates current evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of ICIs in this high-risk patient population, aiming to inform clinical decision-making and guide future research. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science up to July 2025. The search strategy combined keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms related to bladder cancer, ICIs, and BCG treatment failure. Only studies published in English were included. Key Content and Findings: This review integrates findings from key clinical trials evaluating ICIs, such as pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, used alone or alongside BCG, emphasizing their capacity to elicit sustained therapeutic benefits. It also examines the significance of predictive biomarkers, including programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and characteristics of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, the review outlines current approaches for detecting and managing immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Conclusions: ICIs represent a promising therapeutic avenue for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, supporting a shift toward bladder-preserving management strategies. Future research should focus on biomarker-guided patient selection and explore combination regimens to optimize clinical outcomes, thereby informing both clinical practice and investigational priorities.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.