March 3, 2026Open Access

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a narrative review of evidence and future directions

Key Points

Immune checkpoint inhibitors may enhance treatment outcomes for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, promoting bladder preservation.
The review emphasizes the importance of biomarkers for optimal patient selection in future clinical applications.
This narrative analysis covers strategies for combining therapies to improve clinical outcomes in bladder cancer management.
Further studies are necessary to solidify the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Abstract

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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Authors

Liang Zhao

Jian-Wei Yang

Si-Yu Chen

Journals

Translational Andrology and Urology

Actions

Institutions

Lanzhou University

First Hospital of Lanzhou University

Lanzhou University Second Hospital

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a narrative review of evidence and future directions

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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