Cancer

Study: Immunotherapy Keeps 85% Bladder Cancer Patients Surgery-Free

Is this a major advance for bladder cancer or a treatment with tradeoffs?

Published JUN 3

Study: Immunotherapy Keeps 85% Bladder Cancer Patients Surgery-Free

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Above: The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) taking place in Chicago, May 29 to June 2. Image credit: Yüksel Ürün/X

The Facts

A phase II trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago (May 29-June 2) found that 85% of muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients who received the immunotherapy drug, durvalumab, alongside chemotherapy and radiotherapy remained cancer-free after one year, without surgical bladder removal.
The Institute of Cancer Research
The Sun
The trial, led by Prof. Nick James at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and funded by AstraZeneca and the University of Birmingham, enrolled 54 patients. In prior trials, chemoradiation without immunotherapy kept cancer from returning in 60% of patients after one year.
The Institute of Cancer Research
guardian
Durvalumab is a PD-L1 inhibitor that blocks a protein that cancer cells use to evade the immune system. The drug was previously approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for NHS use in muscle-invasive bladder cancer alongside chemotherapy and surgery.
The Sun
Edward Calleja
On May 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved durvalumab in combination with BCG for adult patients with BCG-naive, high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, marking the first new therapy approved in over 30 years for this patient group, according to trial co-investigator Neal Shore, MD.
The FDA
Oncology News Central
The FDA approval was based on the phase 3 POTOMAC trial, which enrolled 1,018 patients and showed durvalumab plus BCG reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 32% compared to BCG alone. The 24-month disease-free survival rate was 86.5% in the durvalumab arm versus 81.6% with BCG alone.
Oncology News Central
Urology Times
For patients who cannot avoid surgery, the drug Inlexzo, approved by the FDA last September, offers an alternative for those who have not responded to BCG treatment, achieving an 83% complete response rate in that group.
Spectrumlocalnews

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The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

This drug is a game-changer for bladder cancer patients, keeping 85% surgery-free after one year compared to just 60% with standard treatment. Avoiding bladder removal means dodging devastating side effects like lifelong stoma bags that upend daily life. This breakthrough has real potential to become the new standard of care.

guardian

The Sun

Techno-skeptic narrative

The durvalumab hype glosses over the real numbers — only eight extra patients per 100 avoid recurrence at two years, meaning 13 people must be treated for just one to benefit. On top of that, severe side effects increase by 8-10% and serious immune complications hit roughly 68 out of 100 patients. Long-term survival data hasn't matured yet, so calling this a definitive breakthrough is premature.

Edward Calleja