Potential synergistic effect of radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors on advanced bladder cancer: A case report.

Abstract

Background: The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy (RT) is emerging as a promising therapeutic approach for advanced bladder cancer. However, clinical evidence of the abscopal effect in this context is still limited.

Case presentation: Presented here is a 61-year-old female with high-grade urothelial carcinoma who had initially undergone chemotherapy, followed by treatment with atezolizumab (an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody). Due to disease progression and symptoms, she received palliative RT alongside continued immunotherapy. Post-RT staging scans showed a significant reduction in the size of the bladder mass and a marked improvement in the patient's quality of life. Although this case did not demonstrate a definite abscopal effect, it underscores the potential benefits of combining immunotherapy and RT.

Conclusion: The observed outcomes suggest that this combination can effectively manage advanced bladder cancer, highlighting the need for further research to refine and optimize these treatment strategies.